Welcome to The Family
by TheRev28
Summary: After a very unfortunate turn of events, I find myself hip deep in the Mass Effect universe. Why could I possibly be here? How can one teenager and an unexpected companion possibly have an effect in Mass Effect? I hope I find out soon. T for language
1. Well Shit

**A/N: Hey peoples. so this is my first time writing a serious piece of fanfiction, and I decided on a self-insert. I figure that being able to write from my own point of view and from inside my own mind would be the easiest start to my fanfic career (what little there may be).  
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**This fic will be slightly AU (what SI isn't?), but I like to think that the things I'll be doing haven't really been done before. A note on romances: I know where I'm going with it, and no, it's not Tali. I want to keep it a surprise.  
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**Some shout-outs before I start: The Masses to Masses series by iNf3ctioNZ and the Mass Vexations series by Herr Wozzeck are probably the two best Mass Effect SI's out there. They also serve as my inspiration. Also, the Spirit of Truth & Spirit of Redemption by Myetel could be the greatest fanfics I've ever read. All three authors are class A writers who have never disappointed.**

**And finally, the obligatory disclaimers: _The Mass Effect series is the sole property of Bioware Corp. Any non OC character and major plot missions contained herein are also the property of Bioware. I do not receive anything for this writing other than the reviews of my readers._ I think that just about covers it. On with the show  
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* * *

**Welcome to The Family**

**Well Shit  
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Howdy-do folks. I guess a little info about me is necessary before I start this whole mess. My name's Dylan, I'm eighteen years old, right around 6' but skinny as a post, with medium length brown hair and blue eyes. I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but I was born in Nashville, Tennessee. I'm honestly not very athletic, mostly because of asthma and peroneal tendonitis, although I do hunt occasionally, but I'm very competitive no matter what I'm involved in. The area that I really excel at is intelligence: top 5% of my class and accepted to Harvard. I'm majoring in physics and engineering. I also love to read and discuss philosophy. Anywho, I guess I should start where all good stories do: at the beginning.

* * *

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Beep! Bee—

I groggily slap down on my alarm clock's snooze button, eyeing the offending piece of technology with some distaste. That distaste soon grows into a sense of loathing as I see the time. Why on Earth would I wake up at 5:00 AM on a Monday with no school?

Wait…

Thursday was Thanksgiving…which means that today is…

Hot damn! Deer season starts today! Well, that's one mystery solved.

With that revelation, I roll out of bed and begin my breakfast hunt (no pun intended). I soon find myself before the cabinet in the kitchen, eying the possible meals sitting in front of me. Hmm…pancakes…not really feeling 'em. Waffles maybe? Na, too lazy. Ya know what, I'm just gonna have cereal.

* * *

With my nightly fast fully broken, I begin to prepare for the day. Slogging back into my room I start to pack my backpack for the two day outing. Small tent with a sleeping bag…check. Plenty of food and water…check. Everything else…check. After everything is packed away, I grab my camouflage pants and jacket, forsaking my sleeping clothes for these more appropriate garments. Now that I'm more suitably attired, a short walk brings me to the garage where I intend to arm myself for the upcoming hunt. Unlocking the weapons locker in the garage reveals my standard load out: a .30-06 Remington 700 bolt-action rifle with standard scope for the actual hunting, a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum for any up-close stuff, and a Bowie knife…mostly for shits and giggles.

Awesome possum! I'm all set and ready to go. I get in my truck and begin to pull out of the garage when I realize something: I almost forgot my orange vest! Wouldn't that be embarrassing, showing up to the hunting ground without my own vest? So I quickly run back inside, grab the damn thing, and finally start my hunting trip.

* * *

Well today sucked. I saw absolutely nothing all day. Not even a squirrel, which I would have happily shot. Certainly no deer. The closest thing I got to a real deer was a set of tracks a few hours old. I followed them for a while, but they soon petered out into nothing. That was admittedly kinda suspicious, but at that point all I cared about was the fact that I lost the damn tracks. By that time, the sun was beginning to set, so I decided to set up camp.

Sitting here around the fire, I can't help but contemplate how much of a letdown today was. Admittedly, there's still tomorrow, but I was hoping for at least a _shot_! Instead, all I get is one set of tracks that mysteriously disappears. Giving up on trying to figure any of this shit out, I retire for the night. As I lie in the tent, trying to fall asleep, I can't stop thinking about those damnable tracks. Fortunately, sleep's gentle embrace soon takes me.

* * *

I wake up to a very strange sound; or rather the strange absence of sound. Now remember, I'm in the forest: there's always something out here making noise. But not now. As I look around, I'm startled by the fact that I'm standing up. I don't remember standing. Actually…I'm having a hard time remembering a lot of stuff. I look around, trying to jog my memory, when I see a sight that no mortal man should ever see.

YOU'RE NOT MORTAL AT THE MOMENT.

Wait…I know that no one said anything because I'm the only one here. Yet, somehow, I remember those words resounding in my ears like a lead crypt door closing. I slowly look behind me—

"Jesus' mother!"

THAT IS, ADMITTEDLY, NOT THE USUAL REACTION.

"Are you who I think you are?" I ask.

IT MATTERS NOT WHO YOU _THINK_ I AM. I SIMPLY AM.

That's not the kind of argument you usually win; especially not when you're arguing with a seven foot robed skeleton with a scythe that simply radiates sharpness.

"I'm gonna throw a guess out and say that you're the Grim Reaper."

THAT IS ONE NAME, THOUGH I PREFER DEATH, replies Death, NOW PLEASE, IF YOU COULD STEP THIS WAY, YOU HAVE AN APPOINTMENT.

"An appo—what! I'm dead!" I scream at him. "Who could possibly be expecting me! Oh, and also, how the fuck did I die!"

A SEVERE BRAIN HEMORRHAGE APPARENTLY; THOUGH I THINK THIS WAS MOSTLY AN EXCUSE.

"An excuse! Why does Death need an excuse to kill me?" The whole time we've been talking, Death has been leading me away from my mortal remains. We've moved on from the forest into a nondescript grey plain. Seriously, there's _nothing_ here. Just a flat nothingness as far as the eye can see. I focus back on the conversation as Death answers my question.

AN EXCUSE TO CHANGE YOUR DIMENSION OF INHABITANCE. IT'S NOT YOUR TIME TO DIE, IN ANY UNIVERSE; HOWEVER, YOU ARE APPARENTLY NEEDED ELSEWHERE. HENCE YOUR APPARENT DEATH. AHH, HERE WE ARE. SO NICE CHATTING WITH YOU.

"Wait where are you go—," and now he's gone. "—ing. Well this is fan-fucking-tastic. What the fuck am I supposed to do here? There's NOTHING HERE!" I scream to the vast nothingness surrounding me. "Where the fuck is _here_ anyway?" I sigh, falling back to sit on the ground.

Ok…gotta think. Firstly, why am I here? Secondly, where is here? As I sit contemplating these questions that left even Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes with a headache, I notice a faint light. Now, I know all the clichés about not going towards the light, but what else am I supposed to do? Like I said, there's literally _nothing_ on this vast grey plain. I slowly get up off the…ground is the only word for what I was just sitting on. Anywho, once up and about again, I begin to slowly advance towards the light. It seems really far away; I'm talking miles here, but then again, there's no frame of reference to judge distance. I resign myself to a long, boring walk when suddenly I'm there.

Wow. That was really easy. Almost too easy. By now the light has resolved itself into the shape of a doorway. I guess this takes me to wherever I need to be; though why I'm suddenly needed in another dimension is somewhat (ok _very_) surprising. The whole "different dimensions" thing isn't all that unexpected; remember, I'm a physics major, I've heard all of the parallel universe theories out there. It's the fact that I'm _needed_ in one of those other realms of existence that is the surprising and, admittedly, scary part. Who could need the help of a teenager with asthma, a wonky foot, shitty eyes, who's skinny as a post, and who's smart as hell?

Ok, so the smart as hell part I can see, but still! How could they, whoever "they" may be, need me so badly as to essentially hire Death to come get me? How do you go about hiring Death anyway? Does he leave business cards at every scene he visits in other dimensions? How would you get in touch with him? Wait around till someone near you dies and hope to catch him?

…

How the hell did I get that far off topic? God, I gotta stop doing that. Anywho, I'm standing in front of this glowing doorway that will probably lead to some awful place that I'm somehow supposed to save.

Well, no time like the present (even though there's no way to tell time here). Very hesitantly, I stick my arm through the portal, full expecting it to simply disappear. Strangely enough, I'm able to pull it back out with no visible damage. Huh. Might as well go all the way. Because I'm feeling dramatic, I dive through the threshold into my new life.

* * *

I wake up to a very strange sight: a tent roof that looks suspiciously like the one I fell asleep in last night…in another dimension. Shit. Why am I waking up in seemingly the same tent? I quickly poke my head out of the tent to see the campfire I made last night. Scanning the area, everything looks exactly the same as last night.

Wow…I guess all of that was some crazy, fucked up dream; though I can't imagine what caused my subconscious to dream all of that. Jeez, that was one fucked up night. Now that that's over, I need to get ready for another day of hunting; hopefully it's a better day than yesterday. Now where the hell did I leave my guns? I look to where I remember putting them last night and see them—

Those aren't my guns. My beautiful R700 and S&W .375 Magnum are gone. In their place are two weapons that look very, very familiar. The…I can only guess it's a rifle…looks like a bullpup without a magazine. It has a hole in the stock for the thumb instead of a full grip. Why does this rifle look so familiar? Trying my damndest to remember where I've seen this rifle, I look at the pistol, hoping that it might jog my mind. The grip looks a bit odd: It doesn't just have a grip; it has a hand guard type thing.

Wait…a hand guard on the pistol, a rifle with no visible ammunition supply…

Well fuck.

* * *

Oh god…my head is _killing_ me. On a strange side note, the sky looks really beautiful, but why is it red? Why am I even looking at the sky? Why does it feel like I'm sleeping on a rock? Why am I on the ground? Without getting up, I look around again and see the weapons right next to me. Oh yeah…that's why. I guess I fainted, as much as I hate to admit it. I slowly start to get to my feet, raising a hand to the back of my head to make sure I didn't bust anything in the fall. Well, nothing but hair back there, so I seem to be all good. Just as I stand fully erect, all of that hard work is destroyed when I suddenly drop to my knees clutching my ears. The single most god-awful noise I've ever heard is reverberating through my ears, causing such pain the likes of which I have never experienced. The worst part is the fact that it seems to come from inside my own head.

As quickly as the noise started, it stops. I open my eyes, which I hadn't noticed closing, and, once again, slowly rise off the ground. Ok, this is seriously not good. The weapons, the red sky, the terrible sound, they all point to one fact: I'm on Eden Prime during Sovereign's attack.

Well shit. I guess this is what Death needed me for. Though why the hell does the Mass Effect universe need me? How could I possibly be of any help? I sigh quietly, resigned to the fact that I could be stuck here for a while.

Ok, if I'm gonna do _any_ good in this universe, I probably need to join Shepard. Hmm, I wonder if it's a male or female Shepard…either way, I need to find him/her, so I can join his/her crew and help him/her save the galaxy from the Reapers.

I really hope I find out which gender Shepard is soon; all of this him/her and his/her crap is bugging me. Anywho, I quickly end my internal ramblings to take stock of the situation. After a quick look around, I determine that the woods I'm currently in are very similar to the ones I left: lots of oak, ash, maple, and many others. For the first time, I look at myself to find that I'm still attired in my camo pants and jacket; however, my orange vest has been replaced by a kind of harness. If I had to guess, I'd say that this is a small shield generator.

Cool! That saves the trouble of getting one later, though I still don't have any armor. If my shields are broken I'm fucked. And if I'm on Eden Prime right now, I'm probably gonna be shot at a lot in the coming hours. About the only thing to do now is arm up, though I have no idea how I'm gonna carry my new guns without some magnetic strips to keep them in place; my R700 had a strap for my shoulder, and my magnum had a holster which is now useless. Luckily, my pants have some decent pockets, so that solves the pistol problem for now. I guess I can just carry the Mattock. Hopefully I won't need to switch to my Carnifex.

That seems to be all that I need; I'm not gonna bother about the camp seeing as it's probably gonna get destroyed after I leave. As I give the area a once over to make sure I don't forget anything, I notice one last surprise: My Bowie knife is still here! Wow…that actually makes me feel a whole lot better. Other than the clothes I'm wearing, that knife is the only thing left of my old life. I strap the knife back on, and I feel a sense of rightness. I feel right wearing that big-ass knife.

Since I have no idea where I am or where I need to be, I pick an arbitrary direction and start walking. Let's hope I'm going the right way!

* * *

I must be one lucky SOB because I soon find myself in an area that looks vaguely familiar. I'm laying at the edge of a small cliff face, maybe six or seven feet above the floor of the mini-canyon I'm looking at. Off to my left I see an oddly flat rock about the height of a human. Dead ahead I see a few Dragon's Teeth, luckily with no occupants or geth nearby. And to my right…yep, there's the dig sight. Hot damn! I'm right where Shepard finds Ashley. Now all I gotta do is wait.

After only a few minutes, I hear the sound of running. This is it. I quickly get behind a nearby rock and wait for Ash to come into view. On a little side note, I see a few geth drag a human towards the Dragon's Teeth. Damn, if I didn't need to stay hidden, I could save that poor bastard. He's struggling against the geth for all it's worth; too bad they're robots with a vice-like grip. Right when the geth lay him down, the running sound intensifies. True to the cut scene, Ash comes running into view chased by two geth drones. She can take care of them easily enough, so I stay hidden until the real geth come out to play.

Just as I figured, Ash takes care of those drones, no problem. Even if she did trip. As she's sitting there regaining her breath, I see the geth by the Dragon's Teeth increase their activity. Oh god…it's gonna happen. Shit shit shit! Now that it's about to happen, I'm having second thoughts. Why didn't I sto—

As fast as lightning, the great metal spike extends straight up through the man's chest, impaling him in a shower of blood and gore. Jesus' mother…I knew the violence in the game was nothing compared to real life, but that was worse than any deer I'd killed while hunting. I barely stop myself from puking, but that doesn't mean some still didn't come up. Swallowing the bile, I try to focus and calm down; the action is about to start.

As if on cue, the geth have finally noticed Ashley, who is now pressed up against the rock with assault rifle in hand, and begin to advance on her position. This is honestly a good spot I've found here; the geth haven't spotted me, and I have clear enfilade on the enemy position.

Well, here goes nothing. I aim at the center of mass of the closest geth, not wanting to risk missing a headshot. A smooth pull of the trigger sends a hyper-accelerated paint chip-sized round straight through the torso of the geth. The recoil of the shot wasn't really that bad; no worse than my old R700. Without even thinking, I quickly pump two more body shots into the first geth. The second my rifle's rapport had reached the geth, they both turned towards my position. Luckily for me, I dropped the first geth before it could react to my presence. Its buddy, however, raises its pulse rifle with machine-like speed and precision and begins to pepper my position with weapon fire. Even moving as fast as I can, I still feel a few rounds ping against my shields.

Holy shit that was close! I don't have any real kind of monitor for my shield levels, but I'm pretty sure they got close to breaking. Ok, have to remember that this shield generator kinda sucks. Luckily, since I killed one, that's the only geth left. Also luckily, the geth seems to have shifted its focus entirely to me, leaving it easy prey for Ashley. When the fire stops, I peek out from behind my rock to see not a destroyed geth, but a _floating_ geth. I guess Shepard and Kaidan are here right on time. Exiting my cover, I give that synthetic bastard two quick rounds to the torso and one to the head just to show off a little.

Yay! I survived my first firefight! Granted there were only two enemies and I had the element of surprise, but still! I killed two geth in less than 15 seconds. I feel pretty good about that.

Since I'm already standing, I look over to where I last saw Ashley. Yupp, there she is along with another woman and a very powerfully built man. Well I guess Shepard is a female. Can't really see what she looks like because she's wearing a helmet, but you hardly ever see an _ugly_ Shepard. All three of them are looking up at me. I suppose I do look a tad badass standing at the top of a cliff in camo with a rifle in my hands.

Anywho, I slide down the cliff face to add a little more dramatic flair to my entry.

…What? You only ever get one first impression. Might as well make it a good one.

Once I reach the three marines, a somewhat awkward silence hangs in the air until Ashley breaks it.

"Who are you and what were you doing in this area?" she asks. That really wasn't what I was expecting. Being the blunt man that I am, I respond in kind.

"I guess that's one way to greet the guy who saved your ass."

"And I guess that's one way to talk to a chick that could _kick_ your ass," she retorts.

…Damn Ashley. I knew she had a smart mouth in the game, but that was a good one. Narrowing my eyes, I remain silent for a moment before I speak. "Well played. Well played indeed."

Apparently my attempt at humor worked because I see Ashley give a little smirk before her usual marine face comes back on.

"Ok you two, cool it down. Sir, whoever you are, you showed up at an opportune time to save this marine. What's your name?" And there's the soothing voice of Jennifer Hale. Unfortunately, Shepard still has her helmet on, so I still have no idea what she looks like.

"Dylan. Dylan *****," I reply. For some reason, I can't help but smile a little bit. I mean…I'm actually talking to Commander Shepard, and she seems impressed.

"Well Mr. *****, I must say that I am impressed. You showed initiative by saving Chief Williams here, a decent tactical understanding with that ambush, and rather good marksmanship. Commander Jennifer Shepard at your service. I'll admit I'm glad to see a civilian survivor." As she speaks, Shepard proceeds to remove her helmet and offer her hand.

I shake the commander's hand and then catch my first glimpse of Commander Jennifer Shepard.

Well shit. Wasn't expecting that.

**A/N: First chapter and I'm already ending on a cliffhanger. What about Shepard could possibly cause my reaction? Guess you're gonna have to wait for chapter two. I'll update as often as possible, but with work there could be some largish gaps between updates._ Hopefully_ I'll get out one a week, but no promises. Edit: It seems like three to four days is the norm. Who knew?_  
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**Here are a few opportunities to earn some virtual cookies. First: Where did I get my character of Death? Second: What is the inspiration for the series title? You can either PM me or just leave it in a review. That reminds me: please review with constructive criticism. I will appreciate any suggestions on how to make this fic better. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Ow, My Head

**A/N: Hey folks! I managed to get this chapter out fairly quickly (in my opinion), but I warn you that this probably isn't a normal update rate. I was lucky enough to have a few days off work, so I had much more time to write. **

**A quick note about my character of Death: he is inspired by the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. You'll be seeing more of him throughout the story, so I thought I would acknowledge his origins. Also, the title of this story is a reference to the song "Welcome to the Family" by Avenged Sevenfold. No real significance behind it, I just like the song and thought the name was fitting.  
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**Anywho, this chapter will conclude Eden Prime, hopefully to your liking. Enjoy!**

**Ow, My Head.**

My god. That face. Those eyes. Even her hair. It's all exactly the same. I might as well be looking at a picture of her. Commander Jennifer Shepard looks just like one of my best friends back home; oddly enough, my friend's name is Jennifer too, though she preferred Jenny.

God, this is so surreal. This seems too long a shot to be a coincidence. So now I'm left wondering what this could possibly mean. Seriously, the resemblance is exact, right down to the short pony tail in her dirty blond hair.

"You ok kid?" a soft, yet somewhat rough voice asks. Well hello Kaidan. Wait…why would he ask if I'm ok? Shit, I must have been staring at the commander! Ok, gotta play this cool; can't look like a creeper after we've just met.

"Yeah…it's just that the commander's comment about being glad to see a survivor doesn't really sound that promising," I respond. Wow, that actually sounded like a good excuse. "It's nice to meet you commander, and please, just call me Dylan. Now who are your friends here? I believe I've already met one," I say as I look at Ashley with a little smirk, "but we haven't been properly introduced."

"Well if you insist on 'Dylan', then I insist that you call me Shepard, at least for now. Like you said, you've already met Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. This is Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko," she says, gesturing to the marine at hand. "And going back to your previous statement, you're the first survivor we've seen so far."

"God damn it," I sigh, trying my best to sound like a concerned colonist. "Shepard, can I come with you?" I ask imploringly, dreading the possibility that she'll say no. Feeling the need to justify myself, I continue. "Wherever you are is probably the safest place on Eden Prime right now, and I really want a chance to get revenge on those metal bastards for what they're doing here. You've already said you were impressed with my combat ability."

Shepard starts rubbing her chin with a contemplative look on her face. Wow, she's actually considering it! After a few more seconds, Jenny (I really hope she lets me call her Jenny) finally replies. "Ok, you can come with us," Yes! "But be careful. You don't have any armor and that shield generator looks like a piece of crap. You seem like a good shot with that Mattock, so I want you to stay back and pick off any geth that the three of us miss."

"I'm a hunter, Shepard. That should be no problem." With that blasé overestimation of my own skills, we continue towards the dig sight. Shepard and, surprisingly, Kaidan take the lead with Ashley hanging back to walk with me. That's odd…you'd think that with Ash being a pure soldier she'd be up front. Though maybe Shepard's a soldier. Actually, I don't know what class Shepard is. I saw some biotics being used during my ambush, but that could have been Kaidan. Now I'm really curious about Shepard's class.

"So what _were _you doing in this area?" Ashley asks, breaking me out of my internal monologue. "The whole area around the dig sight was patrolled by marines."

Shit…I guess that's why she hung back. I could tell her a basic form of the truth, but before I can even get a word out, we all hear the classic geth noises: that kind of mechanical clicking and whirring. Oh yeah, I forgot about the geth near the dig sight. Quickly scanning the area, I see a small flat rock with an upward protrusion. Cool, that'll give me a slightly elevated position and some good cover.

Without waiting to see what the others are doing, I sprint over to the rock and get behind the natural cover. Peeking around the rock face, I see that Ashley has moved up while Kaidan has hung back. Shepard is also hanging back a little, but not as much as Kaidan. With a fluid motion, the N7 draws the sniper rifle from her back. Well that partly answers my question about her class: she's either a soldier or an infiltrator.

Before I can speculate any further, the first geth rounds the corner into our field of view. Without any hesitation, Shepard draws a bead on the synthetic's flashlight head and lets a shot off. The report of the shot echoes through the valley, and more geth quickly stream into view. Ok, time to work some magic.

There appears to be five geth in total, arranged in a sort of staggered battle line. Ashley is peppering the one on the far left with some damn accurate bursts of her assault rifle while Kaidan has lifted the one next to it with his biotics. That seems like an easy target for me, so I bring my Mattock to bear and give the helpless geth a Mozambique Drill: a double tap to the torso followed by a single shot to the head. That seems to do the trick because the AI goes limp and soon falls to the ground as Kaidan's biotics wear off.

Surveying the battlefield, I see that Ashley has moved on to another geth and that Shepard is keeping another one down with some accurate pistol fire. I'm pretty sure that she's an infiltrator now, and my theory is proven correct when I see her activate what looks like an overload on the geth. The robot falls over with sparks flying everywhere. Shepard takes this opportunity to put two rounds through its head with her pistol.

Meanwhile, Kaidan has conveniently lifted another geth out of cover, providing me with a clear shot once again. A repeat of my previous performance ends with similar results. By my count, there should only be one geth left. I look around to see Ashley finish it off.

Hot damn, that worked pretty well. I already get the feeling that Kaidan and I will work together just fine. I exit my cover and hurry to meet up with the three marines, who are currently standing around an empty dig sight.

"But who moved it? Them or us?" I hear Kaidan ask.

"It doesn't matter now. We need to get to the spaceport ASAP," Shepard replies. With that, the four of us head up the path that leads to the scientists' camp. Shit, this is where we first encounter husks. I really hope my Mattock has enough firepower to bring those fuckers down fast. I don't want them getting close enough to short out what little shields I have left.

"This looks like a good spot for an ambush. Everybody, stay on your toes," Kaidan warns. If I recall, this is right when the husks come down off the spikes. Right as this thought flies through my head, the metallic sound of the Dragon's Teeth being retracted reverberates through the destroyed camp. The first husk reaches the ground and stands up with a sort of awkward grace. The red sky reflects off the creature's metallic skin, making the husk itself look blood red. This fact only serves to enhance the appearance of the blue cybernetics that shine through. The whole effect is rather frightening.

"My god! What are those?" Ashley asks, actually sounding fairly scared.

Ok, time for a slight hint in the right direction. "I think those are what's left of the science team." As I'm saying this, the other three husks have gotten to their feet, and the first one has started to run/limp towards us.

Without waiting for orders, I raise my Mattock and take aim at the first husk's head. As I start to depress the trigger, my finger stops dead. No matter how hard I try, I can't bring myself to take the shot. Whatever this thing is now, it used to be a human being. That thought stops me dead in my tracks. In my mind, shooting the geth was no different than hunting an animal. I'm fully aware that they both have some kind of intelligence, but, to me at least, they lack sapience: that key factor that allows judgment. I mean, sure, the geth use cold hard logic, but that's not quite the same thing.

These husks, however, were humans. While I'm fully aware that they're basically mindless zombies now, the fact that they even _were_ human stills my hand. My internal moral battle is interrupted by a rough shove. As I fall, I see Shepard standing in my vacated place, pistol barking in her hand. I don't even get a yell of surprise out before I feel an impact, and my world explodes in pain. My vision goes pure white as I struggle to remain conscious. I feel like I'm about to lose that battle when—

HELLO.

_Oh fuck me. Am I going to die?_ I think.

YES.

…_Fuck._

OH, I DIDN'T MEAN NOW.

_But you said I'm going to die!_

WELL OF COURSE. EVERYONE DOES. I'M ACTUALLY HERE TO SEE HOW YOU'RE ACCLIMATIZING TO YOUR CURRENT SITUATION. OH, AND TO PICK UP THAT TURIAN GENT.

_Turian? Do you mean Nih—_and he's gone again—_lus?_

…I hate it when he does that. Well if Death is here for a turian, I'm pretty sure that means Nihlus. There aren't any oth—

"Dylan! Wake up!"

Why do people keep interrupting my thoug—

"I think you pushed him a little too hard commander." I simply groan my agreement to that statement. With my eyes still closed from the pain, I feel my arms being put around two sets of shoulders. It's rather easy for them to haul my sorry ass off the ground after that. Upon opening my eyes, I see that the two people lifting me up are Shepard and Ashley. Huh, I wonder where Kaidan is. Ehh, doesn't really matter right now.

Now that Shepard and Ashley have gotten me back on my feet, I try to actually stand up on my own. I wobble a little bit after my legs take my weight, but nothing too bad. I guess the hit wasn't as bad as I thought, but I still rub the back of my head to check for blood. Once again, nothing but hair back there. Shepard's voice brings me back from my musings.

"Dylan, I'm so sorry. You were just kind of standing there and that thing was charging at you. I needed to do something and I couldn't shoot it without risking hitting you, so I pushed you out of the way." Aww, it's nice to know she cares. "What happened to you? You did just fine against the geth. Why'd you freeze up?" she asks with a quizzical look on her face.

"Firstly, thank you for saving my life. I would rather have a minor head injury than be dead." She actually manages to look a little embarrassed at the head injury part. "Secondly, I'm not really sure what happened. Those things used to be human, and I've never shot another human being before"

"That's understandable, but you hit the nail on the head," she answers. "They _were_ human. Whatever they are now, they're just husks of their former selves. There's no humanity left."

"I guess I'll keep that in mind if we see any more of those husks," I reply. I just have to think of it as more hunting I suppose. Ok, now that I'm up and about again, I take the time to look around the area. This place really is a mess. There are craters and pieces of debris everywhere, just like a warzone usually does I suppose. There are, however, two intact building at the far end of the clearing. I see Kaidan as he exits the right one. Guess that's where he's been. If I'm not mistaken, those two scientists are in the left building.

Seeing that I'm standing fine on my own, Shepard and Ashley walk over to meet up with Kaidan while I jog to catch up.

"Well the right building was empty," I hear Kaidan say, "and the left one was locked."

"So why didn't you _un_lock it?" I ask with a smile on my face.

His face turns a bright crimson red before he answers. "Well, um, I kind of, er, you know…flubbed the lock." That last part came out so fast and so quiet I almost didn't catch it. I have to stop myself from busting a gut: Kaidan, a good tech, botched on unlocking a door. I almost can't believe it! Apparently Shepard can't believe it either because she just sighs.

"Oh Kaidan," the future Spectre says, "I thought you were better than that."

"I'm sorry ma'am. I wasn't expecting a lock, so it took me by surprise," the sentinel replies, trying to save face.

"Just forget it lieutenant," Shepard sighs. "C'mon, we have to keep moving." And with that, we continue on our path to the spaceport. As we reach the top of the ridge, a gunshot echoes through the valley. Well I guess Death has done his job. And on cue, a horrible noise follows the gunshot. I look up to see—

"Jesus' mother!" I exclaim, "What the fuck is that thing?" The thing in question is, obviously, Sovereign, but I can't let the others know that I know.

"The element zero core must be massive for it to be able to take off from a planet!" Kaidan yells. We all take a few moments to watch Sovereign leave the planet. I gotta say, the crazy lightning show was actually pretty impressive, if not slightly terrifying. The whole thing looked like the hand of a mad god leaving the scene of its most recent smiting. The sound of retracting metal spikes brings us back to the situation at hand. Time to get back to work.

* * *

The fight wasn't all that bad. The few geth that were there were easily taken out by Shepard's sniper, Ashley's assault rifle, Kaidan's biotics, and my Mattock. And apparently Shepard's little pep talk about the husks worked because I didn't freeze up this time. I'll admit, we make a pretty damn good team. We passed right by the shed where Cole and his buddies were hiding, not that they're that important, and continued to the platform where Nihlus' body now lies.

His body is actually a pretty gruesome sight. Since he was shot in the back of the head, most of his face has been replaced by the exit wound of the bullet. There's grey matter everywhere and a giant pool of blue blood that's still expanding. A crash disrupts my examination of the body, and I look up to see a dockworker, Powell I think, standing behind some crates. Shepard, Ashley, and Kaidan have all drawn their weapons and are pointing them at the poor man.

"Don't shoot! I'm human!" he shouts. He's obviously trying not to piss his pants, and he's shaking so bad it seems like he's having a seizure.

"Well be more careful next time," Shepard warns him. "We almost shot you. What were you doing behind those crates anyway?"

"I was hiding from those damned synthetics!"

"Alright, fair enough. Did you see what happened to this turian?"

"Umm…I didn't actually _see_ anything, but I overheard a conversation he had with another turian. The first one was just sort of standing there when another turian came up. I guess they knew each other because the first one dropped his guard, and the second one shot him right in the head. The first one called him Saren, I think." With that revelation, the dockworker falls silent.

"Where is the beacon?" Shepard asks. I forgot how many questions Shepard can ask.

"That other turian, Saren, he took it to the next dock. Just go down the ramp and take the tram."

"Thank you. That should be everything we need."

"Hold up Shepard," Ashley interrupts. She turns toward Powell, presumably to ask him one last question. "How did you manage to get behind the crates before the geth found you?"

Oh damn, I forgot about this part. Powell looks rather uncomfortable now. I would too if I had to admit what he does.

"Well you see," he starts, "I was kind of already back there. It's just that…I was working so hard, and, well, I…umm…sort of…maybe…went back there to…umm…kind of…take a nap."

All four of us are silent after the dockworker's cowardly admission. Ashley has a look of unbridled disgust and hatred on her face while both Shepard and Kaidan just look disappointed. I just stand there and shake my head slowly. It's really rather pathetic. Finally, Ashley finds her voice. This should be good.

"You were taking a nap?" She starts off really quietly. It's almost scarier than her just yelling. "You survived while good marines died because you were _napping_?" Ahh, there's the yelling that would make her drill sergeant proud. "Tell me right now why I shouldn't—"

"That's enough, Chief," Shepard interrupts, effectively ending Ashley's tirade. "He's not worth it. Right now, we need to stop Saren." Too bad he's probably gone by now. Though it can't hurt to think positively I guess.

Anywho, with that, we all turn away from the pathetic man in front of us and continue to the tram that will take us to the beacon. The few geth that we encounter are quite easily taken down. The path to the tram is literally a straight shot for close to a hundred yards, so Shepard is able to work her magic with her sniper rifle. Kaidan, Ashley, and I don't even have to do anything! Every geth is dead before it can take five steps.

"Damn Shepard, nice shooting!" I exclaim. She simply smirks before leading us on to the tram. She presses the button, and I settle in for a boring ride. I lean against the railing with my arms crossed and close my eyes to see if I can get a quick nap in. This has been a very tiring day. First I wake up in the Mass Effect universe. Then I find Shepard and spend the rest of the day fighting geth. Contrary to popular belief, fighting a small army of synthetics is not the best thing to do when you have asthma. But I'm managing, and I should, hopefully, be able to stay with Shepard and help her find Saren. That just goes to show—

"So you never answered my question."

…

Really? Can I never finish a thought without someone interrupting it? I simply sigh and open my eyes to see Ashley standing in front of me with look on her face. Well, I got lucky last time. Might as well answer as truthfully as possible.

"It's really quite simple Chief, I was out on a hunting trip. My camp was pretty far from where I saved you." I see her scowl a little as I remind her of my timely ambush. "I woke up this morning to see a red sky, and then I heard that awful noise. Truthfully, it freaked me the fuck out, so I grabbed my weapons and headed towards the dig sight, figuring it would be safe because of all the marines. The rest, as they say, is history. Happy now?" I ask.

"I suppose," the marine replies. It seems that she wants to find a hole in my story, but she's having no such luck.

"Good. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to try napping…_again_," I say, looking pointedly at Ashley. I close my eyes—

"Don't bother. We're here."

Why? Every goddamn time. I sigh once again and push off from the railing, ready to save the colony.

The tram stops and instantly we see the first bomb. It looks bigger than in the game. We all just stare at it for a second until I decide to break the silence.

"Umm, Shepard? Please tell me you can defuse a bomb." I'm suddenly kinda worried. In the game, all you had to do was press a button, and Shepard would start defusing. But this is real life. What if she doesn't know how? I'm not sure I trust Kaidan with tech after the whole door fiasco.

"Don't worry Dylan; N7 devotes an entire month to explosives. I could probably do this in my sleep."

"Please don't," I respond, secretly relieved by her answer. The commander just smirks before getting to work. It takes all of about seven seconds for her to finish.

"C'mon," she says, "That can't be the only one." Too right Shepard.

* * *

Yay! The colony's saved! The four of us tore through those geth with machine-like efficiency: oh the irony. All the explosives are disarmed, and all the geth are dead. Now our little group is standing in front of the beacon. It's pretty damn impressive if I do say so myself. The odd green glow surrounding it gives you the sense that it's just _radiating_ pure power. I guess it is, in a weird sort of way.

Anywho, Shepard and Kaidan walk some distance away, presumably to call the Normandy for pickup. Ashley is just kind of staring at the Prothean artifact. She cautiously starts to advance towards the device.

Wait…that's not supposed to happen. Kaidan's the one who triggers the beacon when Shepard is female. Oh shit…I see Ashley start to struggle against the pull of the beacon. Fuck, Shepard is too far away to help in time!

Without any orders from my conscious mind, my legs begin to move. I cover the distance in a few quick strides and pull the same "hug/throw the marine out of the way" technique that Shepard does in the game. It works, and now I'm slowly floating up into the air, fully aware of what's about to happen.

My world goes entirely blank for a moment: no lights, no sounds, no nothing. That quickly ends when a terrible screech/scream resounds through my mind. Suddenly, the all too familiar vision begins to flow across my consciousness. I'm not just seeing this with my eyes; no, this is being burned into the very nerves of my entire body. Organics dying, synthetics on a rampage; this is actually causing physical pain throughout my entire body. Holy fuck this is intense! With one last horrible shriek, the vision dies, and my mind goes blank from sheer exhaustion.

_I wasn't expecting this either_, I manage to think before I lose consciousness.

**A/N: Well there ya go. Eden Prime's all done, with a little twist thrown in at the end. Next chapter will see the repercussions of this as far as canon goes. We'll probably get to the Citadel, but I'm not sure how far through it we'll actually get. If I go through it all, there will be a larger delay, but it'll also be a bigger chapter. What can ya do, right?**

**A thanks to my four reviewers so far. I always appreciate more. Thanks for reading!  
**


	3. How Are You Feeling?

**A/N: Hello again my readers. Two updates in two days you ask? Well I'm just as surprised as you guys are. I think I might be on speed or something. Anywho, last chapter, I said we'd doing the Citadel stuff this chapter...well I kinda lied. By the time I got through the various interactions, I was pretty much at an average chapter length, so I decided to give you guys a quick treat. **

**This is my first go at extended character interactions, so constructive criticism would be welcome. I hope you've been enjoying the fast updates because I keep telling you they won't last.**** Well, here's chapter three.**

**How Are You Feeling?  
**

Ohhh…Jesus' mother. Holy fuck, my entire being hurts. I think my brain is trying to escape out my ears. I had absolutely no idea that it would be this bad. That vision burned itself into the very fiber of my being, and the fire still hasn't gone out yet. I wonder if it's gonna be like that every time the vision flares. God, I sure hope not; otherwise the melds with Liara will _suck_.

…

Wait…oh shit. Oh shit oh shit ohshitoshitohshit! I'm the one with the Prothean vision, not Shepard! Fuck! I'm not even here a day and I've managed to fuck up one of the most important pieces of canon in the entire series! Ok, ok…just keep breathing. I'm _pretty sure_ this isn't the end of the world…galaxy…whatever. I mean, when I think about it, Shepard can still become a Spectre without the vision. In fact, without the vision, the council might be more inclined to believe Shepard about the Reapers!

Wow, maybe I didn't fuck up so bad after all. And thinking about it even more, this is practically my ticket to staying on Shepard's crew. They _need_ me now. Liara needs to meld with _me_ so we can figure out where to go.

But wait…how much of my mind is open during a meld? I can't have Liara learning my extra-dimensional-ness before I'm good and ready to tell everyone. Maybe I can block off that part of my mind.

GAH! This is so confusing! Is it a good thing or a bad thing? I don't know. I guess I'm just gonna have to roll with the punches.

Maybe I should open my eyes to let Dr. Chakwas know I'm still alive. Wow, I'm really glad that it's dim in here. I don't think my eyes can handle bright lights right now.

"Doctor Chakwas! I think he's waking up!" Huh? That's Shepard's voice. I thought Ashley would be here when I woke up. I wonder where—

"Thank god. I was afraid he wouldn't wake up." Ah…there she is. They're both in here? That's odd, though not exactly unwelcome. I don't think any guy would say no to waking up to two beautiful women.

…

Where did that thought come from? Though I guess it's not that big a surprise: both of them are very attractive women.

"Good morning Dylan," says a soothing British accented voice. Well there's the good doctor. Just in time too. My thoughts were becoming naughty. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? I'm wondering if falling into a black hole would hurt this much," I answer. I seriously am wondering this. That beacon absolutely wrecked my body.

"It's my fault," explains Ashley, "I must have triggered some kind of security field when I got close to that thing. You had to save my sorry ass…again." She says that last part with a small smile.

"You couldn't have known," responds Shepard. "It wasn't your fault."

"We don't even know it that's what set it off," says the doctor. "And we may never get the chance to find out."

"The thing blew up. Maybe something got overloaded," Ashley explains to me. "The blast knocked you out stone cold. The three of us had to carry you here to the ship."

"Thanks Ashley," I say, looking at the marine. Then I face the commander. "You too Shepard." Looking back at Ashley, I ask, "You mentioned a ship. Which one am I on?"

"First off, it's either Ash or Chief. Don't call me Ashley." At that I smile. "And as to the ship, you're on the SSV Normandy."

"As much as I love a good discussion," interrupts Shepard, "I've got to know if Dylan is healthy." She directs that last part at Chakwas.

"Well physically he's fine," Chakwas replies. "But I've detected some unusual brain activity: an abnormal amount of beta waves. I also noticed an increase in your rapid eye movement, signs usually associated with intense dreaming."

"I don't think that was a dream," I say. "It was all very strange. I saw death and destruction: the slaughtering of organics by synthetics. But it all seemed like a warning."

"Hmm, I'll have to add that to my report. Now what can I…" She's interrupted by the door to the med-bay opening. "Captain Anderson. What can I do for you?"

In walks the famous Captain and, hopefully, humanity's first councilor. I never realized how buff he is. Though I guess you don't become a Spectre candidate by being weak. His Alliance uniform only accentuates this fact. "Just checking on our guest." And hello Keith David! I swear that man is my generation's James Earl Jones.

"All the readings look normal. I'd say he's going to be just fine," Chakwas answers.

"Good, good. Now…I need to speak to our guest and the commander—in private." He adds that last part while looking pointedly at Ash and Dr. Chakwas.

Ash just salutes and replies, "Aye aye sir. I'll be in the mess if you need me." She seems to say that last part while looking at me. With that, the marine and the doctor leave the med-bay. Wow, now I'm in a room with two of the best soldiers humanity has to offer. I'm feeling slightly intimidated to be honest.

I'm sitting on the edge of the bed with Shepard standing to my right and Anderson right in front of me. The captain looks at me and asks, "Sounds like that beacon did a number on you, Mr. *****. You sure you're ok?"

"I'm pissed off about the geth, but I'll live."

"Glad to hear it. Now…while you were unconscious, we did a quick background check on you."

…

Did he just…? They did a…? Fuck me sideways, I honestly wasn't expecting this. Oh shit, now I gotta quickly make up a plausible—

"We just need you to confirm it." Wait what? He looks down at a datapad. "It says here that you were born in the capital of Constant on Earth date January 13, 2165." He raises his head and gives me a questioning look. I simply nod, not trusting my voice. With the exception of the year, that's totally my birthday! I wonder… "What were your parents' names?" he asks.

"Judy and Bill *****," I respond, hoping that, somehow, my records have been added and adapted to fit the Mass Effect universe. The captain nods at my answer, looking back down.

"You graduated from Hawking High School in the top 5% of your class and got accepted into Harvard back on Earth. What were you majoring in?"

"Physics and engineering." Once again, he nods. Oh my god, it's all basically the same. Granted a few details are different, but the basics are exactly the same. How the hell did this happen? I wonder if Death did anything. Or maybe it was the person/group that hired Death to bring me here. I'll ask him if I see him again.

The little Q&A continues until, finally, Anderson looks satisfied. "I told you he could be trusted, captain." What? Shepard already trusts me? Wow. That's awesome! I guess saving a marine twice and fighting a metric shit-ton of geth is all you need to do to earn her trust.

"I never doubted your judgment, Shepard. I just had to make sure he checked out before we let him stay on the Normandy." With that, I snap my head up to look straight at Anderson. Did he just say…? I turn to Shepard with a questioning look.

"After your impressive display planet side, I recommended that you stay on the ship as a 'general contractor.' Your combat skills are quite impressive, and your knowledge of physics and engineering could easily land you a spot among the engineering crew. You're not part of the Alliance, but you're on its payroll. The recent revelation about the vision is just one more reason to keep you on. Welcome aboard the Normandy Dylan."

Jesus' mother. Holy shit. Fuckin'-A. Hot damn! I'm on the Normandy! HAHA! A look of pure elation covers my face. Apparently my good mood is contagious because soon both Shepard and Anderson are smiling. I just look between the two of them for a moment before I trust myself to speak.

"Thank you: both of you. I don't think words can express how indebted I am to you two, so I'll just say this: you can count on me to do whatever I can to help you stop Saren." As I'm saying this, my expression has turned serious and I look each of the officers right in the eye. "I won't let you down."

"That's all we can ask for," says Shepard. She still has a slight smile on her face, and I gotta say, it's nice to see her smile. That doesn't really happen in the game very often.

"I'm glad to hear it," responds Anderson. "Now, if you're fit to walk, I need to speak with the commander." I take his not-so-subtle hint and gingerly place my feet on the ground. Upon attempting to stand, I realize that the pain from earlier has gone away and that I can stand just fine. Still taking it slow, I walk out of the med-bay, giving Shepard and Anderson a nod. I figure since I'm not Alliance that a salute is unnecessary. Approaching the exit, I tap the door panel and take my leave. As the door closes behind me, I take a second to survey the area in front of me.

Wow, this looks exactly like the game! Granted, seeing pixels on a screen does this no amount of justice, but at least it's familiar. There's the mess with that weird little divide that separates the table from the rest of the second deck. I can see the walkway that leads to the sleeper pods and the forward battery. There's the computer that Kaidan's always working on, which he's at right now, and there's Ash sitting at the table.

She looks up at the sound of the door opening and closing and smiles, waving me over.

"Hey Ash, how ya doing?" I ask.

"I should be asking you the same thing," she replies with a smirk. That doesn't last long though because her expression goes somber. "I'm angry, to tell the truth. When those geth showed up, I couldn't do a thing to stop them from…well to stop them. Not until you and Shepard showed up." I couldn't help but notice her hesitation there.

"Ash, I get the feeling that there's something slightly more personal behind it," I say, looking right at her. She meets my gaze for a second before she sighs and looks down at the table.

"I lost my whole unit to those synthetic bastards," she starts quietly. "There was nothing I could do to save them, and I just ran. Why am I being offered the post of a lifetime while my entire unit lies dead?" Oh god, she has some major survivor guilt. I had no idea she felt this bad about this. She just kind of brushed it off in the game. Shit, I've never been good at comforting people. I guess I'll just have to wing it and hope I don't screw up.

I walk over and sit next to her. I wonder if I should…yeah, I'll take a shot. I place a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at me. Here goes nothing.

"Ash, you can't blame yourself for what those geth did. I might not have known them, but I'm pretty sure that your squad wouldn't want you to feel guilty: especially not about being posted on the Normandy. In fact, I bet they'd be happy for you. So be happy for yourself." I pause for a second. I know she loves poetry, so I try to scrounge up a quote that would be appropriate. "'To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.' 'It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.'" With that, I fall silent and just sit there with a hand on her shoulder. We're both quiet for a while before Ash finally speaks.

"Thanks Dylan, for everything." She lets out a rueful laugh before she continues. "I guess you just saved my sorry ass again. You're making me lose my tough chick marine persona." I smile at that before she continues. "I recognized a Thomas Campbell quote you used, but I didn't know the second one."

"It was General George S. Patton. I didn't know you like poetry," I lie. I mean, I do know, but I'm not supposed to. "Doesn't really seem to fit with your 'tough chick marine' persona."

"Just because I can drill you between the eyes from a hundred meters, doesn't mean I can't like the soft stuff," she says with a smile. I give a little snort of laughter too. "Seriously though, thanks. I needed this little kick in the pants."

"No problem, Ash. You need any more help, you know who to call."

She hits my arm and mutters, "Bastard."

"I'm gonna go before you do any serious damage," I say, rubbing my arm playfully. As I get up, I hear the door to the med-bay open and see Shepard and Anderson walk out. I actually just thought of a question for Shepard: one that should be asked sooner rather than later.

"Hey Shepard," I say, walking up to her. "I have a few questions for you if you don't mind"

"Sure Dylan," she replies, "Shoot."

"First: where are we headed? Second: where are the showers on this ship? And third: are there any clothes besides the ones that I have on that I can wear?" She chuckles at the second question and is actually laughing by the time I finish the third one.

She takes a second to compose herself before answering. "We're headed to the Citadel. We'll be there in about an hour. The showers are two decks below; just take the elevator." I thought there was only one more deck. "As to the clothes, we actually have a set of armor for you. Might as well put it on after your shower because the captain wants us all suited up for our meeting with the ambassador. It's waiting for you one deck down. Yours is the locker farthest from the table"

"Thanks Shepard," I say as I start to walk toward the elevator. The sound of her voice stops me.

"Oh, one last thing: here on the ship, it's Jenny, not Shepard," she tells me with a smile.

…Really? Awesome! Though now her resemblance to my friend is gonna be even more pronounced. They look the same and both go by Jenny. If it wasn't for the voice, it'd be like I never left Jenny back home.

"Ok Jenny. I guess I'll see you in an hour." With that, I step into the elevator and press the button. A shower's gonna feel really good right now.

* * *

Damn that shower felt good. I feel all refreshed now. I walk towards the elevator in my new armor and check the time on my omni-tool (it came with the armor). These things are actually pretty easy to use: there's a little button on the armor that activates it, and once it's on, it handles pretty much like an iPhone. It's got a music player, a communication device, extranet access, and plenty of downloadable apps. Apparently it even syncs up with my armor and weapons. I have some ideas that could make that an incredibly useful feature.

The armor's not bad either. I wouldn't call it comfortable, exactly, but it's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Granted it's the standard Alliance light armor, but I probably couldn't handle much more. I was never the strongest guy in town. Luckily there's a small gym on the same deck as the showers, so hopefully I can buff out a little. This armor could also use paint job, but I'll worry about that later.

The elevator _finally_ opens (I can't believe that these things are _actually_ this slow), and I make my way up to the CIC. It's been right around an hour, so we should be getting to the Citadel soon. As I walk through the CIC, I look up towards the bridge and see Jenny, Ash, and Kaidan up there already. I guess we all get to see the Citadel for the first time together.

When I get closer to the pilot's chair, Kaidan is the first to notice my approach. "Hey kid. How you feeling?" Why am I not surprised he's calling me "kid"?

"Pretty good, considering an ancient piece of alien technology basically had its way with my mind," I say with a smile. I hear a small snort of laughter from the pilot's chair. I guess Joker found that funny.

It looks like he's about to answer when Ash exclaims, "My god! Look at the size of that ship!"

We all crane our necks to look out the window. "That's the Destiny Ascension, the flagship of the Citadel Fleet," explains Kaidan.

"Hey, size isn't everything you know," quips Joker. And hello to Seth Green.

"Jealous Joker?" Ash teases.

"I'm just saying, you need firepower too."

"That thing could probably rip apart any ship in the Alliance fleet!" Kaidan says, probably just to irritate Joker.

Finally deciding to contribute to the conversation, I simply add, "Yeah, but I'd like to see that behemoth run silent." What can I say? I kinda feel bad that Joker is getting verbally destroyed by the two marines.

"Exactly!" the pilot exclaims. "I like this guy already. He knows what's what."

"Well I'm glad I meet with your approval," I say humbly. "I'm Dylan."

"Joker. Now can everyone _please_ be quiet? I'm trying to make sure we don't die while we're docking." We all fall silent. "Thank you."

Throughout our banter, I've been looking out the window. At first, all I could see was the magnificence of the Serpent Nebula. Soon, however, the nebula gave way to reveal the Citadel itself. Let me just say: Holy fuck that is one impressive sight. The five wards extend from the Presidium ring like the fingers on the hand of God. As we actually get closer, details become clearer. Honestly, I'm stunned at the sight of the Citadel up close. I'm just gonna stop _trying_ to describe it because any description I give will be like describing the Mona Lisa as a painting of some chick smiling. It simply can't be expressed in words; this kind of brilliance must be experienced to be appreciated.

…

Where did _that_ come from? Anywho, I finally feel a shudder run through the Normandy as the docking clamps are put in place. So guess what?

…

I'm on the Citadel baby!

**A/N: Ok, first interaction chapter is done. I promise, next chapter will be the Citadel. Hopefully, I can get it all done in one chapter, but after this one, I'm not so sure anymore. **

**I want to give a quick shout out to Liege Lord. Not only has he given me some ideas for my story, he also has a story of his own, Revelations, which you guys should check out. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you again next chapter!**


	4. Playing Detective

**A/N: Howdy-do folks? Hopefully you're doing well now that another chapter is up. I guess I've been lying all along about my update rates. Apparently three-ish days is the norm for now. Who knew? I'm actually getting this one out slightly earlier than I was expecting because my shift at work was cancelled. I work outside, and it's kinda 100 degrees today...yeah not good. Luckily, my bosses got smart and just closed down today.**

**My "unexpected companion" that I mentioned in the summary will be introduced this chapter. Hope you guys like the surprise!  
**

**Anywho, I guess you can thank the intense heat for getting you this chapter earlier than expected. Enjoy!**

**Playing Detective  
**

Hot damn! I can't believe I'm actually on the Citadel! Right now, Jenny, Ash, Kaidan, and I are all on the elevator that will take us to C-Sec. We're all just standing here in a comfortable silence, perfectly content with saying absolutely nothing. I love moments like these; they give me time to process all the stuff that's happened lately, and there has been lots of shit happening to me lately.

Thinking about how I got here, I realize something that slipped my mind before: I died to get here. That thought hits me like a metaphorical lead brick to the brain. Oh fuck…I never got to say goodbye. I'll never see my family again. What's worse is: I died in the middle of a fucking forest! I didn't just die in my house where my family could find me the next morning; they're gonna have to go through the emotional trauma of a search. Knowing my family, they'll believe I'm still alive until my body is actually found. I don't want them to go through that.

My god…I almost can't comprehend this. My mom, my dad, all my friends…they're gone. I just…I don't think anyone is ever prepared for something like this. Lord knows I'm not. Suddenly and unbidden, the chorus of a song comes to mind.

_Sorrow sank deep inside my blood.  
All the ones around me  
I cared for and most of all I loved,  
But I can't see myself that way.  
Please don't forget me or cry while I'm away._

For some reason, this helps. It's like my feelings are being expressed in ways I never could alone. With that thought, I let the rest of the song wash through my mind.

I'm really glad that none of us were in a talking mood. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to make a coherent sentence there for a while. I'm also thankful that these elevators are so slow because the ride gives me time to deal with the initial shock. By the time we actually reach C-Sec, I can at least put on a façade of normalcy.

A short aircar ride brings us to the human embassy. I'm almost awed by how pure white the Presidium is. The four of us walk into the ambassador's office in the middle of his little chat with the Council. Is it terrible of me to think that Udina even _looks_ like a rat bastard? Probably not. Why am I not surprised that he's screaming when we walk in?

"This is an _outrage_! The Council would step in if the geth attacked a _turian_ colony!"

"The turians don't found colonies on the borders of the Terminus Systems, Ambassador," the Salarian Councilor retorts. Damn Udina, you just got burned. After that, I just kind of tune the meeting out. I already know the Council won't do anything right now, other than wait for the _actual_ hearing. Soon enough, the holograms of the Councilors go away, and Udina turns to acknowledge us.

"Captain Anderson. I see you brought half your crew with you," he says pointedly. Then he looks right at me. "And the 'general contractor' you picked up as well." That bastard! He just air-quoted me! Luckily, Anderson responds before I can say anything stupid.

"Just the ground team from Eden Prime: in case you had any questions." I once again fade out, not really interested in Udina's angry ramblings. However, that ass hat says something that brings me back to the conversation.

"Eden Prime was your chance to prove yourself commander. With Nihlus dead and the beacon destroyed," he looks at me for that part, "your chances of becoming a Spectre are almost gone!"

"That was Saren's fault, not hers!" I angrily retort without thinking. The ambassador just glares at me before answering.

"Then we better hope the C-Sec investigation turns up evidence to support our accusations. Otherwise, the Council might use this as an excuse to keep Shepard out of the Spectres." Now he looks at Anderson. "Come with me Anderson. Shepard—you and the others can meet us at the top Citadel Tower. I'll make sure you have clearance to get in." With that, he and Anderson leave the embassy.

Once they're gone, I say, "I wouldn't be surprised if that ass hat 'accidentally' forgot to get us that clearance." Oh yeah…I just air-quoted. Udina brought it on himself, that's all I'm gonna say. The other three laugh and mutter forms of 'me neither' before we start towards the Citadel Tower.

As we walk through the Presidium, Jenny and Kaidan take the lead with Ash and me in back. We're walking along in peaceful silence until Ash mutters to me, "This place seems a little too perfect. They must be hiding something."

I just kind of give her a look before I answer. "Ash, this place is the seat of the galactic government and home to an uncountable number of politicians. Of course they're hiding something."

She laughs and says, "Yeah, good point." She falls silent before speaking up again. "So I have a question." I look at her with a curious look on my face. "I noticed how good you were with that Mattock on Eden Prime. Where'd you learn?"

"So basically you're asking how a colonial student got so good with a rifle?" I ask, once again giving her a look. She nods. "Ash, that wasn't my first hunting trip, I've been hunting for years. I would hope that I've gotten proficient with my weapon of choice."

When I finish, I hear the unmistakable sound of a facepalm. "I am so stupid," the marine mutters.

"Won't argue with that," I say, smiling. She punches me. "Oww," I playfully whine while rubbing my arm. "Good thing we're at the elevator because that hurt." And we really are here.

I guess I should settle in for a long, boring ride.

* * *

We're _finally_ at the top. God, I thought that thing would never end. The elevator opens to a hallway with a staircase at the end. At the top of the stairs are two turians and a human. Oh yeah, this is where we first meet Garrus; though I don't remember a human being here for this part. As we get closer, we can hear Garrus yelling at the other turian.

"Saren's hiding something! Give me more time! Stall them!" And there's the flanging voice we all know and love. I've always loved Garrus' voice. I'm brought back to the conversation by the other turian's response.

"Stall the Council?" he asks, incredulously. "Don't be ridiculous! Your investigation is over, detectives." With that, he simply walks away. Once he's gone, Garrus and the human turn towards us.

"Commander Shepard? Garrus Vakarian."

"Ian Shaw," the human says with a British accent. I take a second to study Ian. He's not the tallest guy I've seen, but he's not short; though standing next to Garrus sure does make him _seem_ short. If I had to guess…I'd say around 5'6". He's got blond hair that's even longer than mine. He doesn't look particularly strong, but he seems to have that wiry strength usually associated with runners. He could probably beat me in a fight, but that's not saying much. As he looks at Jenny, he suddenly grimaces, clenches his jaw, closes his eyes, and clutches his head.

…The hell?

As soon as it starts, whatever happened to him is gone. Garrus' voice brings me back to the conversation at hand.

"We were the officers in charge of investigating Saren."

"It sounds like you really want to bring him down," Jenny says with the slightest hint of…something…in her voice.

"I don't trust him," Garrus responds angrily. "Something about him rubs me the wrong way."

"Got that right," Ian mumbles. Now everyone is looking at him. He looks almost uncomfortable to be the center of attention right now. "Well," he continues, almost hesitant, "he _is_ a bit of a bastard."

I can't help myself: I just start laughing. Just the way he said it…I don't know. But it was still funny. My laughter apparently sets off Jenny and Ash because they join in, and Kaidan, being the quiet, composed guy he is, just smirks. Ian looks much more comfortable now that we're laughing at his comment. Jenny responds once she's finally composed herself.

"I guess that's one way to put it. I'm just glad that we have some support here," she says with a smile.

"It hardly matters," Garrus responds, sullenly. Spoilsport. "Saren's a Spectre; everything he touches is classified. We can't find any hard evidence."

"I think the Council's ready for us, Commander." Aww Kaidan, why you gotta ruin this wonderful conversation? Though I guess he's right; we should probably get going.

We start to walk away when Garrus calls out, "Good luck Shepard!"

"Maybe they'll listen to you!" Ian adds. I thought that was Garrus' line. Ehh, who knows? The fact that Garrus has a partner is so off-canon anyway, what does it matter who says what? Right now, I have to mentally prepare myself for the meeting with the Council. This is gonna be a rough conversation.

* * *

So here we are outside the med-clinic in the wards. That meeting with the Council was just as bad as I thought it would be. Now we're trying to scrounge up evidence against Saren. So, true to the game, we went searching for Garrus. That took us to Chora's Den where we had the pleasure of seeing Wrex…and the displeasure of meeting Harkin. True to form, Harkin insisted on making lewd comments to Ash and Jenny. I had to stop myself from punching the ass hat's nose into his brain. Though once we were leaving, Ash kicked his balls into his appendix. I laughed.

Anywho, we're at the clinic. Shepard taps the door panel, and we're treated to one interesting sight. A red haired woman, Michel I think, is being held around the throat by an evil looking thug who's pointing a pistol at her head. Apparently the guy has buddies because there are about four or five other thuggish looking fellows standing around him. There are Garrus and Ian hiding on our side of the counter, out of the thugs' view.

"I didn't tell anyone, I swear!" Dr. Michel yells. Hmm, she sounds French…maybe French-Canadian. She looks absolutely terrified; though, who wouldn't in her case?

"That was smart, doc," the apparent boss-man hisses. "Now if Garrus and Ian come around, you stay smart. Keep your mouth shut or we'll…" he stops suddenly. I guess he finally noticed us standing here in the open doorway.

"Let her go!" Jenny yells. Wow, I've haven't heard her use that tone before. I guess that's her "intimidating command" voice. The thugs focus all their attention on us. Ok Garrus…anytime you want to take that shot is fine with me.

A sharp crack echoes through the small clinic. Holy shit! That guy used to have a head! Now what's left of it is all over his buddy's face. Hot damn, nice shot Garrus! With that impressive display of marksmanship behind him, Garrus exits his cover and stands pointing his pistol at the other goons. They all break for cover. Smart move.

Now that the action has started, the room explodes into a flurry of movement. Ian does this crazy vault-kick thing which knocks his target senseless. Ian then picks him up and uses him as a human shield. My focus is brought back to the fight as the crack of a sniper rifle goes off right next to me, making me jump slightly. Fuck, Jenny! Why the hell is she using that thing indoors? Though I can't complain because she scored a clean headshot that ripped through what little shields that guy had. Meanwhile, Kaidan has lifted another thug out of cover, giving Ash and me an easy target. I take out my Mattock and take aim at the goon's head. As I begin to depress the trigger, my finger stops dead.

The husks on Eden Prime might have _been_ human, but these guys _are_ human. I've still never shot at living man before. Fuck! Not again!

Ok…these guys are helping Fist, who's helping Saren, who's helping the Reapers. So, essentially, these guys are helping the Reapers end all life in the galaxy. I _have_ to do this.

My whole internal struggle happens in a split second. I'm still aimed right between the guy's eyes. I consign myself to whatever oblivion awaits me because of this and pull the trigger. Ash had already taken down his shields, so there was no resistance besides his skull. His skull lost. Blood, brains, and bits of skull explode onto the wall behind him which, I just noticed, is right in front of where Ian ended up. He looks rather disgusted at the sight…then again, so am I.

I look around the clinic and notice that the fight is over. That was fast. Now that the fight's over, Jenny, Ash, Kaidan, and I regroup in front of where Garrus is standing. The doctor gotten back up and is standing to Garrus' left. She looks pretty shaken up over all of this; though I suppose she has a valid reason. Ian, who still looks slightly disgusted over seeing a man's head explode in front of him, comes over to stand on the other side of Garrus.

"Perfect timing, Shepard!" Garrus exclaims with a small smile. "Gave me a clear shot at that bastard." Uh-oh…if I know Jenny, she's about to go _slightly_ ballistic. She seems like too much of a Paragon to let that slide without a firm reprisal.

"What were you thinking?" she not-quite-yells at the turian C-Sec agent. Damn, that must be her "reprimand" voice because Garrus suddenly looks very uncomfortable. "You could have hit the hostage!" She's getting pretty angry over this. Personally, I've always thought it was an amazing shot Garrus made, but I guess the risks weren't worth it in Jenny's mind.

"There wasn't time to think, I just reacted," Garrus tries to explain. "I didn't mean to—Dr. Michel, are you hurt?" he asks the doctor, trying to show concern.

"No, I'm ok," she responds, shakily. "Thanks to you, all of you."

Jenny walks up to the frightened woman and places a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Dr. Michel, I know you're feeling threatened right now," she says in a soft, reassuring tone, "but you need to help us so we can help you. Who did those men work for?" Ohh, she's good.

The red haired doctor hesitates for a split second before answering. "They work for Fist. They didn't want me telling Garrus and Ian about the quarian." And here's the first mention of Tali. If I'm gonna be working in engineering, I'll probably be seeing a lot of her. I might even learn something.

"If she's got this many people after her, I'm betting that quarian's got something important," Ian adds, finally speaking up. Poor bugger doesn't even know how right he is. "Considering Fist sent people to shut Michel up, maybe it's about Saren and the geth?" Huh…he just hit the nail on the head.

"There's no way the Council can ignore this!" Garrus exclaims with great passion. I forgot how much of an idealist he was in the first game.

"I wouldn't put it past them," I mutter, being my normal cynical self. Just because I know what's gonna happen doesn't mean I still can't be a downright cynical bastard about it: there's always room for people to fuck up. Jenny just glares at me before speaking up.

"Why don't we go see what Fist is up to?" the soon-to-be-Spectre asks with a grin bordering on mischievous. I'm seeing all kinds of sides to Jenny right now.

"This is your show, Shepard, but I want to bring Saren down as much as you do. I'm coming with you!" the turian detective says with only slightly less passion than before.

"I'm with Garrus there, Commander," Ian adds with a good amount of passion of his own. "If Saren's really involved with the geth, which for the record I'm pretty damn sure he is, I'm not letting him get away with this!" Damn, he seems pretty motivated.

Jenny just looks at the two of them with a contemplative look on her face. I can't believe she even has to _think_ about this. Finally she answers. "If you two are going to be part of my team, it's just Shepard, not Commander. Welcome aboard." As she says this, Jenny gets a big, shit-eating grin on her face. Garrus and Ian just kinda stand there for a second with their jaws dropped. They both just look so awestruck that I can't help but poke fun at them.

"Jeez guys don't be so quick to answer," I quip with a smile. That apparently does the trick because they both thank Jenny profusely before she silences them. With two more members of the squad in place, Jenny thanks Dr. Michel for her time, and we all exit the clinic to head towards Chora's Den. We've just stepped through the door that leads to the markets when Jenny stops us.

"Hold up, guys. I think introductions are in order for our new members," she says while looking at Garrus and Ian.

"Sounds like a good idea," Ian responds. "Who's first?"

Kaidan steps up first. "I'm Lieutenant Kaidan Alenko," he says while stepping up to give each of them a handshake. "Nice to meet you, Ian, Garrus."

"Kaidan's our resident biotic, but he also has some good tech skills," Jenny adds.

"Have you been with Shepard for long?" Garrus asks.

"From the start," the biotic replies with a smile. He seems to like them well enough. "I've never served under a better commander."

"Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams," she says, stepping up to give Ian a handshake. She steps back and simply gives Garrus a nod. Oh yeah…I kinda forgot about Ash's feeling towards aliens. Well I guess that's something to work on.

I guess it's my turn. "I'm Dylan *****, a general contractor for the Alliance." Unlike Ash, I give both of them a handshake. Garrus is looking at me with a curious look when I step away.

"How old are you, Dylan?" he asks.

"I'm eighteen," I reply honestly. I unconsciously straighten my posture, not wanting to appear weak. I was kinda hoping my age wouldn't be brought up.

"Damn, mate!" Ian exclaims. "How'd you get to be a general contractor for the Systems Alliance at age eighteen?" he asks incredulously.

"I was on Eden Prime during the attack," I reply quietly. This is still a bit of a touchy subject. "I was lucky enough to meet up with Jenny," Ian and Garrus and, surprisingly, Kaidan and Ash look confused at my use of "Jenny" rather than "Shepard". "I mean Shepard. Oh…I also kinda activated the beacon that was found." At that admission, Garrus gets a shocked expression, while Ian looks floored by the news. I wonder why he would react that way. At this point Jenny steps in.

"Dylan showed good combat skills on Eden Prime, and, apparently, he's smart as hell. I figured he could do some good work in engineering between missions." Both Ian and Garrus look satisfied with that. "Ok, now that that's done, let's continue to Chora's Den, shall we?" Everyone mutters agreement, and we continue on our merry way. Somehow, we end up in this weird pyramid formation: Jenny up front, Ash and Kaidan behind her, and Garrus, Ian, and me behind them. Not wanting to walk in silence, I decide to strike up a conversation with Ian.

"So Ian," I start, looking over at him, "how'd you end up in C-Sec?"

"Fair question," the blond Brit responds. "Well, I graduated from Oxford with a law degree about two years ago, but I didn't want to end up behind a desk; I wanted to actually make a difference, ya know? I also have an interest in alien cultures, so C-Sec seemed like the perfect fit." Hmm, makes sense. Before I can ask any more questions, we arrive outside Chora's Den.

We all gather around Jenny, who, I'm guessing, has a plan.

"Ok people…Fist probably knows we're coming, so he's bound to have an army of his goons in there. We need a plan of attack." She looks at Garrus and Ian. "I noticed you two carrying sniper rifles. I'm assuming you're both good shots?" They both nod. "Ok. Then the three of us are going to provide rifle support. Kaidan, you do what you do best with your biotics. Ash and Dylan, you two are gonna be muscle for this." Oh fuck me. "Sound good?" she asks the group. We all nod. "Ok folks, let's do this."

With that statement, everyone gets into position. I stand on the left side of the door, ready to get in there as soon as Ash opens the door. She's standing in front of the door, waiting for everyone to get in position. When she's sure we're all ready, Ash slams the door panel, causing it to whoosh open. Let's do this.

I charge in, hugging the left wall while looking for the best cover available. About the only cover to be had are overturned tables. I guess that'll have to do. I slide behind the nearest one, quickly looking around while I do so. There are about five—I hear the crack of a sniper rifle—make that four guys right in front of me. I peek out the right side of the table and start firing at the first guy that comes into view. I'm not trying for any finesse right now; I just want to land shots on target. The first guy ducks back behind cover, so I switch targets to the thug next to him. As I'm shooting, I feel the repeated ping of a round being stopped by my shields. Suddenly, my armor beeps, signifying that my shields have dropped to 25%. I quickly start to drop back behind my table, but not before I feel more shots impact my kinetic barrier. I'm almost completely in cover when—

FUCK! HOLY SHIT! My world suddenly explodes in pain. I can't feel my left hand. When my eyes un-blur, I look down to see a gruesome sight. There's a hole in my hand. There is a fucking _hole_ in the palm of my hand! Those last few shots must have broken my shields, and a lucky shot must have hit my hand. God damn it this hurts! After what feels like an eternity, I feel the cool, numbing sensation of medi-gel. Still doesn't change the fact that I can't move my fingers on my left hand. I guess I have to use my Carnifex now, and one handed at that!

The sound of fighting has lessened in the short time I've been behind cover, but the fight still rages. I pick up my Mattock and place it on the magnetic holster on my back and draw my pistol. Here goes nothing. My shields are fully recharged, so I half-stand to look over my table. There are still two guys alive on my side. I aim at the one currently out of cover and pull the trigger—holy shit! This pistol bucks even more than my old .357 magnum! This is gonna be a bitch trying to shoot accurately. Oh well, guess I'll have to manage. I keep shooting at that guy, managing to take out his shields, only for his head to explode from sniper round. I quickly duck back and look behind me. Yep…there's Ian with a shit-eating grin on his face. Little bastard stole my kill! I'll get him for that later; right now, I pop back out of cover in time to see the last guy's shields break. I quickly line up the headshot and pull the trigger before freaking Ian can steal my kill again. As the echoes of my shot die away, I notice that the club has fallen into silence. The fight's over, it would appear. Well, aside from getting shot, I'd say that went pretty well. We all meet up at the door that leads to Fist's private offices.

When we're all regrouped, Jenny speaks up. "Great job everyone. Was anybody hurt?" To answer her question, I simply raise my left hand. Seeing that I'd raised my hand, Jenny looks at me before recoiling slightly. "Holy crap Dylan! What the hell happened?"

"Some bastard got a lucky shot in. I'll be fine for now; I just can't use my Mattock," I respond somewhat angrily.

"Ok," she says reluctantly. "But as soon as we get back to the Normandy, you're going straight to Dr. Chakwas. That's an order." I simply nod. With that, she takes the lead and opens the door in front of us. As it whooshes open, we see the two warehouse workers standing there. As easy as it is to get rid of these guys, they're still annoying. I just sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose in irritation. Ok Jenny, time to unleash your charm.

"Stop right there! Don't come any closer!" one shouts as they both try to point their pistols at all six of us at once. Why do people always insist on being stupid nine times out of ten? This is why I hate most people.

"Warehouse workers," Garrus mutters. I can almost hear the disdain in his voice. "All the real guards must be dead."

"Stay back or we'll shoot!" the other guy tries to threaten. Honestly, I wonder if they could even hit us. Their hands are shaking so bad they probably couldn't hit a dreadnaught.

"Guys, don't do anything you'll regret later. I think two _smart_ men, such as yourselves, could easily find a better place to work," Jenny says smoothly with her best persuasive voice. She doesn't even move for her weapons, instead remaining calm with her arms crossed. If anything, the fact that she's unarmed does the trick. The workers look at each other and lower their weapons. Good idea guys. As they leave, they're muttering how much they actually hate Fist.

"Well that was easy enough," I say once they're gone. Jenny just smiles and continues onward. When the door opens, we're greeted with the sound of Fist.

"Do I have to do everything myself!" he yells in exasperation. With that statement, he presses a button on his desk that activates his defense turrets. Meanwhile, he's hiding behind whatever cover he can find.

Without saying a word, Garrus and Ian just look at each other and open their omni-tools. After a few button presses, they send Overloads at the two turrets. Damn, that was impressive. Those two really know how to work with each other.

Apparently those turrets suck because a single Overload is all it takes to take them out. Now Fist is outgunned, outmanned, and just plain outclassed. He never really stood a chance, and he sees that now.

"Stop! Don't kill me! I surrender!" he yells, pleadingly. It's almost pathetic how much of a coward he is. He's dropped his pistol and is coming out of cover with his hands behind his head.

Jenny walks up to him with her pistol aimed at his head. "Where's the quarian?" she demands, once again using her "intimidating command" voice.

"She's not here," Fist says, slightly calmer now for some reason. "I don't know where she is. That's the truth."

"Twenty creds says he's lying," I say. Unfortunately, no one take me up on my offer. Jenny simply steps closer, putting the barrel of her pistol right over Fist's left eye.

"Wait! Wait!" Fist shouts with new-found terror. "I don't know where the quarian is, but I know where you can find her! The quarian isn't here, said she'd only deal with the Shadow Broker himself!"

"That's not right," Garrus states. "The Shadow Broker only works through agents!"

Fist stands up; he almost seems confident. "Nobody meets the Shadow Broker," Fist explains. "Even I don't know his true identity. But she didn't know that. I told her I'd set up a meeting up." A look of smug satisfaction forms on his face. "But when she shows up, it'll be Saren's men waiting for her."

Jenny quickly closes what little distance is left between them. She grabs him by the collar and forces him up against the wall while pressing her pistol right under his chin. "Give me the location. Now." Her voice has gone quiet and taken a tone so icy that the temperature of the room drops a few degrees. I think she's beyond pissed off right now…in fact, I think she's hitting calmness from the other end.

"Here on the Wards. The back alley by the markets," Fist replies with an absolutely terrified expression. "She's supposed to meet them right now; you can make it if you hurry!"

Jenny narrows her eyes and seems to look right into Fist's twisted soul. Then she lets him drop to the floor. "Garrus, I want you to cuff this sorry waste of space. I think I know a krogan who wants to see Fist in private." At that, the crime lord looks absolutely terrified. I guess he knows that Wrex is after him.

Garrus complies, and we head out.

Time to go save Tali.

**A/N: Ok, we're finishing up the Citadel next chapter, I promise. **

**I need to give a _huge_ shout-out and thanks to iNf3ctioNZ for allowing me to use his character, Ian, in my story. For people who somehow _don't_ know, Ian belongs to iNf3ctioNZ and his series Masses to Masses. If you haven't read it, do so now...that's an order. If you're wondering what Ian is doing in Welcome to The Family, you're just gonna have to keep reading to find out.**

**As always, please review. I won't know if I'm doing anything wrong unless you guys tell me. Plus, I love hearing from my loyal fans. Until next time my readers. Goodbye!**


	5. Udina's an Ass

**A/N: So I must be a wizard or something because this is the second time I've updated in a day. I guess when I don't have work, I have nothing else to do, so I write. But hey, can't complain if it keeps my readers happy.**

**A few quick things that deal with last chapter's surprise. Ian _has_ been on the Citadel for two years, just like in Masses to Masses. Most of his experiences in C-Sec will remain the way he laid them out in his story. Granted, this is my story, so things _will_ be changed as needed, but the core of it should remain the same. Also, this isn't going to turn into Masses to Masses 2 with me in it. This will still be the same story that you guys seem to love. Anywho, on to the chapter!**

**Udina's an Ass  
**

Ok, this is a really, _really_ bad time to have asthma. We're running as fast as we can trying to get to Tali on time, and we're barely out of Chora's Den before I'm having trouble breathing. I've gotta ask Chakwas if there's a cure for asthma because this _sucks_! Unfortunately, time is of the essence, so for now I just have to push through this. Unsurprisingly, I'm at the back of the pack. Ian's _gotta_ be a runner because he's pulled way ahead of me with Garrus right on his tail.

Thankfully, Ian and Garrus seem to know where they're going because I'd be lost otherwise. Why is this the one area so far that _doesn't _look like the game? Anywho, I suddenly see the two detectives make a hard left up some stairs; Garrus almost kills a poor salarian that's standing in his path. This is actually starting to look familiar, so I redouble my efforts to keep up with the group.

Finally I enter the red-lit alley, and I know I'm in the right place. Oh, and I can also hear the muffled conversation between Tali and that bastard turian. Shit, I think we're running out of time! Ahead of me, I see Ian, Garrus, and Jenny take position behind some crates. Without even speaking, the three of them pull out their sniper rifles and set up. I finally catch up in time to hear the last of Tali's conversation.

Right before Tali would usually throw her tech mine and dive into cover, Jenny simply says, "Go." With that simple command, she, Garrus, and Ian all fire near-simultaneously. I look over my cover to see three headless bodies, one turian and two salarian, slump to the floor.

…

Holy Shit! That was awesome! They just pulled off a perfect triple snipe and eliminated the threat before it even began! Garrus and Ian have now earned my respect, and my opinion of Jenny just reached a new high. After seeing no more opposition, the three snipers stow their weapons, and we all continue down the alley towards Tali. The young quarian is standing there with an understandably shocked expression on her face…metaphorically speaking of course. Her eyes, the only part of her face visible behind the faceplate, are almost pure circles.

Jenny, being the leader, is the first to speak up. "Are you alright Miss…?"

"My name is Tali, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya. And yes, I'm alright," the quarian machinist replies in her wonderfully accented voice. Like Garrus, I've always loved Tali's voice. "Not that I don't appreciate the help, but who are you, and why are you here?" she asks, suspiciously. I suppose she has a right to be wary of us; she did just get set up.

"I'm Commander Jennifer Shepard, Systems Alliance. We're looking for evidence that implicates the Spectre Saren Arterius in the attack on Eden Prime."

Tali seems to mull that over for a moment before replying. "Then I suppose I have a chance to repay you for saving my life. But not here!" she adds firmly.

"We should probably take this to the embassy," I suggest. "Ambassador Udina is just gonna _love_ to hear this."

"Alright then," Jenny says. "If you'll please follow us Ms. Nar Rayya?"

…

Really Jenny? "Ms. Nar Rayya"? I thought she would know better than that. Luckily, Tali doesn't look offended; she probably gets her name messed up a lot.

"Please, just call me Tali," she corrects with only the slightest hint of exasperation in her voice.

"Ok then, Tali," Jenny responds, sounding slightly embarrassed. "We're going to take an aircar to the embassy." She pauses while looking at the group she's collected. "Though maybe we should take two."

* * *

I'm very glad that Jenny split us into two aircars. One was crowded enough with just Jenny, Ash, Kaidan, and me. I can't imagine trying to fit three more people into one. So now it's me, Jenny, and Ash in the leading car while Kaidan joined our three guests to guide them. We're sitting here in a silence that's slowly becoming awkward before I decide to break it.

"So Ash, what do you think of our new friends?" I ask the marine with a smile. She looks up at me, shaken from whatever reverie she was in.

"Well, Ian doesn't seem too bad," she answers. Ok, good start. "Even if he does work with a turian." Ohh, we were doing so _well_ there for a second. She doesn't notice, or just ignores, the small sigh that escapes me.

"And I'm glad we found the quarian. Otherwise we wouldn't have the evidence to stop Saren." I suppose that isn't _too_ bad; it's a lot better than her thoughts on Garrus. Time to see if I can get her to see them as _people_ rather than just aliens.

"Yeah, I'm happy we were able to save Tali," I say, subtly hinting to Ash that "the quarian" has a name. "We couldn't have done it without Garrus and Ian." I really hope she reacts to subtleness; I don't want to have to beat her over the head with what I'm trying to do. She might start to beat _me_ over the head with her rifle.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she says almost hesitantly. Well, not the answer I was _hoping_ for, but it was better than I was _expecting_. I'll talk to her more on the ship because it looks like we're at the embassy.

Once the aircars land, the seven of us get out and head for the ambassador's office. The receptionist looks like she's going to have a heart attack when she sees the group Jenny's brought back. I just smirk at her incredulous look and keep walking.

When we enter Udina's office, it takes him all of two seconds to start ranting. "You're not making my life easy Shepard! Firefights in the Wards? An all out assault on Chora's Den? Do you have any idea how many…" And now the other shoe drops as he turns around to finally look at us. Oh man, his face is priceless right now. It almost makes up for his air quotes earlier…_almost_. Bastard. He finally shakes himself out of his stupor and continues his rant.

"What is this Shepard?" Ohh…he sounds pissed. Good, he deserves it. "You left the Council hearing with two marines and your so-called general contractor," he starts angrily. You son of a bitch! He just won't let that go will he?

_Without needing to speak, Jenny and I stride forward towards the amb__ass__ador. "What are you doing?" he demands. We ignore him. With perfect coordination and timing, I throw a right hook while Jenny throws a left. Our armored fists connect with each side of Udina's face at the same moment. His cheeks and jaw offer no resistance, and our fists meet in the most awesome fist-bump in the history of forever._

*sigh* If only. Oh look, he's still ranting.

"Now you show up with an extra human who looks little more than a common ruffian," Did he really just say ruffian? "A turian in C-Sec armor, and a _quarian_?" God, he sounds offended at the thought of a quarian in the Presidium. "You'd better have evidence against Saren if you're coming back here with that rabble in tow."

"If you hadn't started insulting my squad, you'd have learned of the evidence sooner," Jenny replies acidly. Apparently insulting her people is one of the fastest ways to piss her off. "This _quarian_ has evidence that implicates Saren in the attack," she adds, putting emphasis on the fact that Tali has the evidence.

"Really?" he asks, suddenly sounding interested. "Then you'd better start at the beginning, Miss…"

"My name is Tali, Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," she answers with irritation in her voice.

"We don't get many quarians on the Citadel," Udina says with some suspicion. "Why did you leave the Flotilla?"

"I was on my Pilgrimage. It's the right of passage into adulthood."

"Pilgimage?" Jenny interrupts questioningly. "I'm sorry, I've never heard of it before." Oh Jenny, curse your inquisitive nature. As much as I love hearing Tali talk, I've heard her rattle this off a dozen times. Time to phase out and nod my head like I'm following the conversation.

"Have you two heard of it?" That question brings be back to reality. Everyone in the room is looking at me and…Ian. He did say he had in interest in alien cultures, so it makes sense. Oh god, they're waiting for an answer.

"Yeah…why?" Ian and I answer at the same time. We look at each other and I punch him in the arm.

"Jinx, you owe me a soda," I say. Everyone is looking at me like I'm crazy, but Ian looks angry at the fact that I called jinx first. Haha, gotcha.

"As I was saying," Tali starts hesitantly. I suppose my little display _was_ a tad odd. "During my travels I began hearing reports of the geth, since they drove my people into exile, the geth have never been seen beyond the Veil. I was curious, so I tracked a patrol to an uncharted world." Everyone's eyes widen at that. It even impresses me, and I knew about it already! "I waited for one to become separated from its unit. Then I disabled it and removed its memory core."

"I thought they fried their memory cores when they died," Keith Dav—I mean Anderson says, finally speaking up. "Some kind of defense mechanism."

"So how did you manage to preserve the memory core?" Jenny asks with her usual curiosity.

"Please, my people created the geth. If you're quick, careful, and, mostly, lucky, small caches of data can be preserved," Tali replies with a confidence born of incredible skill. I really hope she can teach me some tech skills; she is the best after all. "Anyway, most of the core was wiped clean, but I managed to save a small file from its audio banks." With that, she opens up her omni-tool and fiddles with it for a second before the recording starts.

"Eden Prime was a major victory!" Saren exclaims passionately. "The beacon has brought us one step closer to finding the Conduit."

"Oh yeah, that's Saren," Ian says. "I've met the bastard, and his is a voice you don't soon forget."

"This proves he was involved in the attack," Anderson exclaims. Thanks for that; I wasn't sure we all understood the implications.

"We've got him now," Jenny says excitedly. Hell, we're all excited about this. "There's no way the Council can ignore this."

"I wouldn't bet on that," I mutter. Sometimes I'm so cynical even _I _can't stand it. Everyone in the room just looks at me. I raise my hands in mock-surrender.

"Wait, there's more," Tali says, drawing the attention away from me. "Saren wasn't working alone." She starts the recording again, playing through Saren's little speech. When he's done, a new voice enters the recording.

"And one step closer to the return of the Reapers," a female voice purrs. And there's Benezia. She's kind of a bitch most of the time, but I suppose that's the indoctrination. I actually felt sorry for her by the end.

"Who is that other voice? The one talking about the Reapers?" Udina asks. "I don't recognize it."

"And what are Reapers? Some kind of undiscovered alien race?" Jenny adds.

"According to the memory core, the Reapers were a highly advanced machine race that existed fifty thousand years ago," Tali explains. "The Reapers hunted the Protheans to total extinction, and then they vanished. At least, that's what the geth believe."

Now that we've learned of the Reapers, and since _I'm _the one with the vision, I should probably speak up. "My god…the vision I got from the beacon…it makes sense now," I say, trying to add a certain amount of awe in my voice. "It showed the Reapers wiping out the Protheans! I was right, it was a warning!" For some reason, Ian still looks shocked at the fact that I have the vision.

"The geth revere the Reapers as gods: the pinnacle of synthetic life," Tali adds as a small explanation. "And they believe that Saren knows how to bring them back."

"The Council is just going to love this," Udina mumbles sullenly. I'm really getting sick of his attitude.

"The Reapers could be the greatest threat this galaxy has ever seen," I say. "We have to tell the Council." Even though I know they won't listen, I still have to try.

"It doesn't matter what the Council thinks about the Reapers; these files prove Saren's a traitor!" Anderson says, trying to placate both sides of the argument.

"Anderson's right, we need to get to the Citadel Tower and arrange a meeting with the Council," Udina replies, still sounding slightly upset. "What are you going to do about the quarian, Shepard?"

"I have a name you know!" Tali yells at him. "It's Tali." Now she turns toward Jenny to plead her case. "Shepard, take me with you! My people created the geth, and I know more about them than any other quarian!"

"Aren't you on your Pilgrimage?" Jenny asks before answering.

"The Pilgrimage is our way of proving that we can give ourselves for the greater good," Tali explains. "What would it say about me if I turn my back on this?"

Jenny mulls it all over for a moment before answering. "Well, anyone that can disable a geth and extract its memory core is welcome on my team. Welcome aboard, Tali."

'Thank you, Shepard. You won't regret this."

"As touching as that was," Udina speaks up…asshole, "Anderson and I need to get to things ready for our meeting. When you're ready, Shepard, meet us up there. However, I can only get you clearance for _two_ squad members. The rest of your rabble will have to wait on the Normandy." With those parting words, Udina leaves with Anderson at his heels.

"Bastard," Ian and I both say once he's gone. Once again, we lock eyes and I punch him in the arm.

"Double jinx. Now you owe me two," I say with a smirk.

"Damn it!" Ian yells, stomping his foot. This time, everyone smiles at our display.

Suddenly, Garrus speaks up. "Am I the only one who feels the need to shower after talking to the ambassador?" We all share a laugh at that. "Seriously though, Shepard, he's a real ass."

"I know," Jenny replies ruefully. "And unfortunately, I have to get to the meeting with him."

"Udina said you could only take two of us," Ash says, speaking up for the first time since we've been here. "Who are you gonna take with you?"

"I think I'm gonna take Udina's hint and take my two Alliance members," she answers. Then she turns to look at me. "Dylan, would you mind showing our new friends to the Normandy? Maybe even give them a little tour when you get there?" Jenny asks me.

"Not at all, Jenny," I reply with a smile. "It'd be my pleasure. Good luck with the Council."

"Thanks," she says over her shoulder as she's leaving. Then the door closes and Garrus, Ian, Tali, and I are left standing in the ambassador's office.

"Well, I guess we'd better get going," I say, and we all file out.

* * *

Now we're walking through the Presidium on our way to C-Sec. I'm walking up front with Tali next me while Garrus and Ian are behind us. For now, we're walking in silence, and I'm taking the time to really admire the Presidium. The walls are so white it almost hurts to look at them. I wonder if the Keepers clean the walls or if the Council hires people to do it. Also, the lake is an impressive sight, even if it's slightly excessive. As I'm getting lost in my thoughts, Tali's voice brings me back.

"So you're Dylan, right?" she asks tentatively. I simply look at her and nod. "You were in a different aircar, so we never really got introduced."

"Well, like you said, my name's Dylan *****. Nice to meet you, Tali," I say with a smile while extending my hand for a handshake. She looks at my outstretched hand and tilts her head in confusion. "Sorry, I was offering a handshake; it's a human form of greeting that involves grasping hands then shaking them up and down," I explain. It's weird to think that each species has its own mannerisms. I'm gonna have to remember that.

"Oh, ok," she responds while tentatively extending her own hand. We clasp hands (the fact that she only has three fingers makes it feel odd) and shake.

"See, that wasn't so bad," I say, still smiling.

"No, it wasn't. Slightly strange, but not bad. So Dylan, how did you end up on Shepard's squad?"

"Fair question. I was on Eden Prime during Saren's attack. I was out on a hunting trip when the geth showed up. Luckily, I ran into Jenny, Ash, and Kaidan, and I stuck with them. When we found the prothean beacon, I was unlucky enough to activate it, and it gave me a vision while knocking me out cold. I guess I impressed her enough for her to keep me onboard."

"I couldn't help but notice that you referred to Shepard by her first name," Tali says out of nowhere.

"Umm…yeah. It is her name after all. She told me that when not on missions I should call her Jenny." I'm still wondering why she even brought this up.

"Ok, just wondering. So back at the embassy, you said you knew about the quarian Pilgrimage. Where did you learn about it?" she asks me. Then she turns around to address Ian. "Same to you, Ian."

Ian and I look at each other for a moment, and I shrug, deciding to go first. Good thing I have a plausible explanation for knowing a lot about various alien species. "Well, before Eden Prime, I was enrolled in one of the most prestigious human colleges, Harvard on Earth, and an alien cultures class was mandatory. I know the basics of a lot of non-human cultures." She looks satisfied with that, so we both look back at Ian expectantly.

"I've got a pretty big interest in alien cultures," he answers with a shrug. "It's amazing what you can find out on the extranet."

"Buy why take an interest in quarians?" Tali asks. She's a persistent one, isn't she? Ian's actually looking slightly uncomfortable now.

"Well…most of the galaxy sees quarians as vagrants and thieves, right?" Tali reluctantly nods. "But I've met a number of quarians while in C-Sec who were great people. I decided to learn what the quarian people are actually like instead of relying on stereotypes."

"Well I'm glad to hear that not everyone views quarians as worthless," Tali says with a smile in her voice. "I'll admit, I don't know much about human culture, but I'd love to learn," she says, giving Ian an almost imploring look. Hmm…I wonder.

"I'd be happy to teach you about humans, Tali," Ian answers her unspoken question. "If I can get Garrus here to understand humans, I can teach anyone."

"Don't listen to him Tali. I still don't understand half of the human expressions he uses. For example, what does a piece of pie have anything to do with something being easy?" the turian asks.

"Garrus, I hate to break it to you, but the expression is 'a piece of cake,' not pie," I say with a grin.

"See what I mean?" he says with his own grin.

"Just shut up, Garrus," Ian says with feigned irritation. We all start laughing as we step into the elevator that takes us to the Normandy. I really hope there's no awkward elevator conversation.

As the laughter dies down, we stand in silence for all of about ten seconds before Ian decides to speak.

"So Dylan, what kind of music do you like?" he asks.

"What the hell kind of question is that?" I ask right back.

"You're the only other human in this elevator. I was wondering if we had similar taste."

I just sigh before answering. I really doubt we like the same stuff. "If you must know, I like hard rock and heavy metal music from the early 21st century." To make it easier for our two alien guests to understand, I open up my omni-tool and open the music library I downloaded before getting to the Citadel. Hmm…what to play, what to play. Ah, got it. I press a few more buttons and the wonderfully head-bang-able music of Becoming the Archetype opens up.

_In this hour the tower shall fall!_

The main riff starts up and I start to head bang. My three companions look at me like I grew a second head. By the time "Dichotomy" dies away, the elevator has finally stopped. Before any of them can comment, I quickly step out of the elevator, knowing that their first sight of the Normandy will draw their attention away from my music. I'm not disappointed. All three of them have stopped dead in their tracks and are simply staring.

"Garrus, Ian, Tali, welcome to the family. We're home."

**A/N: And the Citadel is _done_. If you guys are wondering where Wrex is, don't worry. It wouldn't be a Mass Effect story without Urdnot Wrex, right? Next chapter is probably gonna be another interaction chapter before the first mission.  
**

**Like always, keep those reviews coming because I love hearing from my loyal fans :) Till next time, bye bye!**


	6. Just Talking

**A/N: Hey hey hey. I've got a nice little interaction chapter for you today. Not really much else to say.**

**Oh yeah. A quick note about Jenny: she's an ****Earth-born/****War Hero, though I'll be putting a little spin on the Earth-born part. You guys'll learn more about that later. Anywho, enjoy the chapter!**

**Just Talking**

I think it's been five minutes. I glance down at my omni-tool. Yep, five minutes the three of them have been standing there. Not a word has been spoken nor a muscle moved. I'm actually rather impressed…and a little bit worried.

"You guys alright?" I ask, turning on my southern drawl. "Y'all didn't die on me, did ya?" Apparently my sudden accent shocks them out of their reverie.

"What was that you did with your voice?" Tali asks.

"I'm speaking with my god given accent. Ya see I was born in a place where this accent was the normal mode of speech. I've learned how to speak without it, but I like to use it every once in a while."

"Well I like it," the quarian announces. "It sounds similar to Ian's, yet still very different."

Ian and I share a look. "I don't sound like that," Ian says with mock indignation.

"Yeah, we sound nothing alike. His accent's much more posh than mine." Now Ian's giving me a questioning look.

"You think I sound posh?" the Brit asks.

"Yeah. To me, all British accents sound posh," I reply. Garrus and Tali are just watching our little display with amusement.

"As fascinating as this is," Garrus interrupts, "I get the feeling that seeing the Normandy will be _slightly_ more interesting.

"Well then please, step this way," I say with a grin, dropping my accent. "Allow me to be your guide through the wonderful SSV Normandy." With a little flourish, I proceed onward with the others following close behind. We quickly cross the gangplank and enter the Normandy's airlock. The door closes, and the Normandy's VI speaks up.

"Decontamination in progress." The thin strip of light slowly makes its way up and down the small chamber. After the fifth or sixth time, I can tell my companions are getting antsy. Just when I think one of them is going to speak up, the door opens.

"Well folks, our first stop on the tour is the bridge and CIC," I say as we walk out of the airlock. "If you look to your left, you'll see our helmsman, Joker, in his natural habitat. I must advise caution when approaching this one; he has a scathing wit, and he's not afraid to use it."

"I can hear you, you know," Joker says with irritation.

"Your point being…?"

"Just get outta here!"

"Aw, I love you too, Joker," I say over my shoulder, continuing on into the CIC. "This is the Combat Information Center. Here you'll find the Galaxy map and, behind that, the communications room. Continuing on down the stairs, watch your step, we come to the crew deck. This deck houses the mess hall, sleeper pods, and med-bay. I get the feeling that much time will be spent on this deck." Finally I pause, allowing my tour group time to just stare in awe at what they're seeing. I give them a minute or so to look around before I beckon them into the elevator.

"There are two more decks below this one," I explain as I press the button for engineering. "The next deck is engineering and the cargo hold. The final deck is where the showers, gym, and actual crew quarters are. You all have beds there, should you choose to use them."

The elevator soon comes to a stop, and I give my new friends time to explore. Garrus immediately makes a bee-line for the Mako. Oh god, we've lost him already. I doubt I'll be able to pull him away from that thing now that he's there. Similarly, Tali has gone straight into engineering. Hmm, I should probably go tell Adams that she's allowed to be in there. As the door opens, I almost run into Tali, who has stopped dead in her tracks. I just stand next to her and enjoy the sight of the drive core for a bit. It really is an impressive sight. I was down here before reaching the Citadel, but I'm still awed by the view.

Apparently Tali notices my presence because she decides to speak up. "Dylan, this looks absolutely amazing! How could the Alliance possibly fit a drive core this big into a ship this small?"

"I honestly have no idea, Tali," I reply. I mean, I read the Codex entries that (kind of) explained the technology, but they were so vague that there was no way to really understand it. "I may be a physics major, but this tech is so far beyond what I was learning that it may as well be magic. But I'm gonna try my damndest to learn. C'mon, let me introduce you to the chief engineer."

I gesture for her to follow me, and we walk up to Adams. "Hey Adams, how are things down here?" I ask. He turns around to look at me, and I catch a quick expression of surprise before he hides it.

"Everything's going well. We're still going over all the data we got on the shakedown run. So Dylan, who's your friend?" he asks, looking at Tali.

"Engineer Adams, this is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," I say, gesturing to the quarian beside me. "Tali, this is Engineer Adams."

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Zorah," Adams responds, extending his hand. Luckily, Tali remembers what I taught her, and the two shake hands. Adams looks slightly surprised at that.

"Please, just call me Tali," she responds shyly.

"Tali's a mechanical genius, so the commander thought she could help out here in engineering," I tell Adams. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to check on the others. Have fun in here, Tali." The last part is said over my shoulder as I'm leaving.

Back in the cargo bay, Garrus is, unsurprisingly, still at the Mako. Ian is actually there next to him. I decide to go check on them.

"Hey guys. I see you've found the Mako," I say with a smile. Garrus doesn't even acknowledge my presence; he just keeps tapping away.

"Yeah, he found it all right," Ian replies with a smile. "Now I'm wondering if I can pull him away from it."

"Ehh, he'll get bored eventually. Do you wanna see the last deck?" I ask Ian. "Or am I free to go get this checked out?" As I ask this, I raise my left hand, which still has a hole in it. It doesn't hurt, but I still can't really move my fingers.

"Oh shit dude!" he exclaims. "I forgot about that! You go get that checked out. I'll explore on my own."

"Ok. See you around, Ian," I say, walking towards the elevator.

"See ya, mate. I hope the doc can save that hand!" That comment earns him a glare as the elevator door closes.

What a crazy-ass day, I think as the elevator slowly rises. The craziest part is the fact that Ian's even here! Garrus didn't have a partner; he never even mentioned having one in the game. I'm in this universe for three days, and two pieces of canon are already fucked up. This does not bode well for the future.

I sigh as the elevator door opens. I suppose there's nothing I can do about it. I walk the short way from the elevator to the med-bay to finally have the doc look at my hand. When the door opens, Chakwas turns to see me.

"Ahh, Dylan, I'm glad you showed up. I was taking a look at your medical record, and I noticed a few things that surprised me." Uh-oh…that doesn't sound too good. "I noticed that your parents never bothered to do anything about your asthma, or the aftereffects of your club foot." She stops talking and looks at me. Shit, I guess she wants an answer.

"Yeah…my parents were kinda…frugal…if you catch my meaning," I explain. "They figured that I could live with asthma and a slightly wonky foot, especially if I ended up with a desk job."

"Well, I suppose that was your parents' decision to make, but the circumstances have changed. You won't last long here on the Normandy if we don't fix these problems. There's a type of gene therapy that will encourage your lungs to work properly, and a small surgery will correct your peroneal tendonitis." I'm just standing here looking flabbergasted. The doctor just keeps talking, oblivious of my shocked expression. "I've been preparing everything I need while you were out. We can begin now of you'd like."

She finally looks up to see look on my face. She simply smiles and waits for my answer. Finally I regain my wits and answer her. "Doc, that's great news!" I say enthusiastically. "But there's one more thing you'll need to do while I'm under." With that, I raise my left hand. Chakwas just sighs and shakes her head.

"Honestly, I'm surprised this is the only I've seen today. I was expecting more. Don't worry, Dylan, I'll fix that right up."

"Thanks, doc. So should I just lay down on one of the beds?" I ask, gesturing to the various beds along the wall.

"Yes, yes, just lie down. I'll have everything ready in a moment." I walk over to the closest bed and lay down. Suddenly, a question pops in my head.

"Say doc, how long is all of this gonna take?" I ask from my reclined position.

"I'd say around two to three hours," she replies. "You'll also need to stay here for a few hours afterwards. Is there anyone in particular you'd like to talk to when you wake up?"

I think about that for a second. It would get kinda boring in here all by myself. "I guess I wouldn't mind talking to Ash if she isn't busy."

"I'll keep that in mind." Suddenly she's standing over me. "Now, I'm about to put you into a twilight sleep. Just lay there and relax." With that, she puts a mask over my nose and mouth, and I'm out like a light.

* * *

Oh man, what is it about twilight sleep that feels so good? I always feel completely rejuvenated when I wake up. I'm still lying on the bed, but I've been elevated into a sitting position. Suddenly, I'm aware of another presence in the room. I groggily look around and see Ash sitting to my right. I can see that she's talking, but no words are registering in my mind.

Apparently, she notices that I'm aware and stops talking. Now she's just sitting there smiling. It kinda looks like she's waiting for me to talk. I'm still feeling a little loopy, but I move my mouth, trying to make words come out. Eventually, I get the hang of it.

"Hey Ash," I say, still sounding half asleep. "What are you doing here?" She just smiles even more.

"You told Chakwas that you wanted someone to talk to when you woke up," she says. I did? Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well, I suppose I could get used to waking up like this…minus the med-bay part anyway.

"If I recall, this is the second time I've woken up in the med-bay with you sitting next to me," I say with a smile of my own. She laughs at that.

"Yeah, well don't get used to it. I don't want you getting hurt on every mission just so you can wake up to this," she says while gesturing to herself. Wow…that almost sounded a little flirtatious…naa, she's just making a joke. So I laugh.

"So how'd the meeting with the Council go?" I suddenly ask. I already know how it went, but I'm not supposed to. Gotta keep up appearances.

"It actually went a hell of a lot better than I thought it would," she replies. Ah, good ol' cynicism. "The Council declared Saren a traitor and made Shepard a Spectre. Now it's our job to hunt him down."

"Awesome! I can't wait to make that bastard pay for what he did to Eden Prime," I respond with passion. "Where are we heading first?"

"Somewhere in the Artemis Tau cluster. You remember that other voice in the recording?" I nod. "Well it belonged to some powerful Asari Matriarch. Apparently she has a daughter who's a Prothean expert, so we're going to find her."

"Ok. So how long until we get there?"

"Well, it'll take six more hours to get to the Artemis Tau cluster, but then we have to find the planet she's on." I just groan because I know where she, but I can't tell them. Ash just agrees. After that, we both fall silent for a while. I'm content to just lay back and let my mind wander aimlessly.

So we're going to get Liara first. I'm not sure why, but I always got her first. My very first playthrough, I thought that getting her first would give me some kind of advantage. I thought she would be able to understand the vision right away. From then on, I guess it just came to be a habit.

Wait…if we're getting Liara, I'm gonna have to meld with her so she can try to decipher the vision. Will I be able to keep part of my mind locked away? If I can't, she's gonna learn that I'm from another dimension. Shit, this could be problematic. I wonder if—

"So Dylan, the last time we really talked you somehow got me to open up a little. I think it's time you return the favor." Curse you Ash. There's no way I can say no without being a douche. I guess I have no choice but to play along.

"Well, there's not much to say," I respond. "I was basically a nerd in high school." She looks a little surprised at that. I suppose I don't have the typical nerd look. Typical nerds aren't six foot. "I'm serious. I didn't play sports and I got straight A's. In high school, that makes you a nerd."

"Dylan, that's called being smart as hell, not being a nerd," Ash replies. I smile at her attempt to make me feel better, but I honestly never cared.

"Ash, I never cared what anyone called me. They were all just jealous anyway," I say with a smirk.

"That's a good attitude to have," she says with a laugh.

"But anyway," I continue, "I'm basically a cynical bastard who's gotten himself in way over his head."

"There's nothing wrong with being cynical." Ash pauses for a second before continuing. "When you were cheering me up, you used a Thomas Campbell quote. Are you a poetry fan?"

Hmm, wasn't expecting that question. "Ehh, not really," I respond. "I'm more of an epic fantasy/sci-fi kinda guy. Oh, I also enjoy a little philosophy here and there," I add as an afterthought. She looks surprised at that admission.

"I never would have pegged you as the philosophical type."

"Hey, just because I like reading fantasy, doesn't mean I can't like the really deep stuff," I say, using one of her best lines on her. She laughs then looks down as her omni-tool lights up.

"Sorry Dylan," she says with regret, "but I'm needed down in the cargo hold."

"Ok Ash, have fun," I say with a smile as she leaves. Coincidentally, as Ash is leaving, Dr. Chakwas walks in. "Hey doc. How'd everything go?"

"Everything went just fine," she responds with a smile. "The gene therapy 'took,' and the foot surgery has fixed everything. If you've noticed, you should also have full movement in your left hand." I actually hadn't noticed, but as soon as she says this, I look at my left hand and start moving my fingers.

"Thanks a million, doc. So how long was I out and when can I leave?"

Chakwas just smiles and gives me one of her "ah to be young again" looks. "I finished everything in about two and a half hours. You were in twilight sleep for another half hour. I need you to stay here for another hour." I groan. "I know, I know, it must be _dreadful_ to be bedridden for another hour," she says with a good deal of sarcasm.

"Will I be able to go on the upcoming mission?"

She considers that for a moment before answering. "I'd say so, yes. Just be careful; I don't want to re-fix your foot. Now, I'll let you rest." With that, she sits down at her desk and starts doing…doctor things.

Great, I'm stuck in here for another hour with no one to talk to. Too bad Ash had to leave; it was fun talking to her. I always liked Ash in the game. I know a lot of people didn't because they thought she was a xenophobe, but in my opinion, she just hasn't had enough interaction with aliens. I'm confident that I can get her to see our alien friends as people, not just aliens.

Man, I'm bored. To stay occupied, I open up my omni-tool to surf the extranet. If I'm gonna be in engineering a lot, I should probably know how the technology works. I wonder if Wikipedia still exists in 2183. After a quick search…huh. It still exists, just under a different name: Omnipedia. What is it with the future and "omni"? It seems everything around here is omni-something.

Anywho, I guess I'll start with FTL travel. Here goes a crash course in Mass Effect tech!

* * *

Wow…that was intense. There's so much to learn! Half of what I was learning in my dimension is now obsolete. My brain needs a vacation. On the plus side, I managed to waste an hour, so I'm free to go. Good thing too; I'm starving. Wonder what kind of food there is on the Normandy. I wonder if they have popcorn…please let there be popcorn! Walking out of the med-bay and into the mess, I see Jenny sitting there with a cup of coffee. Besides her, it's empty in here.

At the sound of the door opening, Jenny looks up. "Hey Dylan."

"Hey Jenny. What are you doing here all alone?"

"I couldn't sleep," she answers. I give her a curious look. Apparently she catches that look because she explains. "It's 2400, ship time. Plus, we need to be ready for a ground mission in five hours. Everyone else is asleep."

"Really?" I ask, somewhat surprised. "I guess I'm still not used to ship time. But that doesn't explain why you're having trouble sleeping."

She gives a rueful laugh. "Well, I've always been a mild insomniac, but now there's all this extra stuff: Saren, the geth, the Reapers, becoming the first human Spectre."

"Congrats on that, by the way," I interrupt.

"Thanks. But anyway, I guess I'm just feeling the pressure right now."

"Jenny, if anyone can stop Saren and the Reapers, it's the Hero of Elysium," I tell her with as much conviction as I can."

"Thanks Dylan. I'm glad someone believes I can pull this off."

"Don't say that! You have the support of the whole crew. We all know you can do this."

"Ok, ok, I get it," she says with a smile. "Anyway, go get some sleep, Dylan. I want you on the ground team when we find Dr. T'Soni."

"Aye aye, commander," I say with a grin while giving a playful salute. She keeps smiling as I walk away to get in the elevator. Once I press the button for the sleeping deck and the door closes, I'm left to my thoughts once again. It's odd to see Jenny acting so…well human. In the games, Shepard was always this unstoppable force of nature. The only time he ever showed any real emotions was when he was romancing someone. It's almost odd to think that Jenny is just as human as the rest of us. Yet somehow, that thought is comforting. It makes her more approachable and it inspires confidence. Knowing the person behind the rank just makes people want to follow her more.

The elevator door opens, and I'm pulled from my contemplations. I walk into the sleeping area where my bunk is. I wonder who my roommates are. I see Garrus and Ian bunking together, big surprise, and Kaidan has taken the other top bunk. Guess that leaves me with a bottom bunk.

As I lay down, I let out a quiet sigh. Today has been a long day, and even though my body isn't used to ship time, I still fall asleep faster than normal. My last half-conscious thought is about how beautiful she is.

**A/N: Ohh...what could that last thought _possibly_ mean? ;-) I'll let you guys try to figure that out. So next chapter is Therum; however, it will be slightly different than the game. That's all I'm gonna say. Don't wanna spoil the surprise.  
**

**The next chapter might be a little longer wait. My work schedule has picked up a little, so I won't have as much time for writing. But fear not, it will be out as soon as possible.  
**

**As always, I love hearing from you guys. Seriously, even a "good chapter, can't wait for the next one" is good to hear. Anywho, ta ta for now!**


	7. Is It Hot On This Planet, Or Is It Me?

**A/N: Hey folks! It's Therum time! I'll tell you right now, I hated Therum. So I changed it. I'm quite satisfied with the way it turned out. Also, since the whole mission is this chapter, it's a bit longer than usual. That's about it. Enjoy!**

**Is It Hot On This Planet, Or Is It Just Me?**

I wake up five hours later after one hell of an awesome sleep. Some of that was probably because of awesome dream I had: I was sitting on a couch with—

"Dylan."

—in my lap, and—

"Dylan!"

"What?" I ask, finally looking around me. I see Ian standing next to my bunk. "What do you want, Ian?"

"Well, I heard you waking up, and I was wondering if you were on the ground team for the upcoming mission."

"Oh," I respond. "Yeah, I am on the ground team. I take it that since you're asking you're on the team too?"

"Yeah, it's gonna be you, me, Garrus, and Wrex." Yay! Jenny must have grabbed Wrex on her way back from the Council meeting. Wait, I shouldn't know who Wrex is. I better ask Ian, so I can keep up appearances.

"Who's Wrex?"

"Oh yeah, you were in the med-bay when he came on. Wrex is a krogan merc originally hired by the Shadow Broker to kill Fist. Since we raided Chora's Den and basically handed Fist over on a silver platter, Wrex agreed to come with us and help us stop Saren."

"That's awesome!" I exclaim with genuine enthusiasm. I always loved Wrex; he has that calm sense of "I can kill you whenever I want, but I choose not to."

"Yeah, he is one impressive sight. A word of advice though: don't piss him off," Ian warns with a serious look. Then his smile returns. "Wouldn't want him to kill you, now would we?"

"I definitely wouldn't want that," I respond with a laugh. "I guess I should probably get suited up and ready for the mission."

"Yeah, me too. I gotta see how that armor Shepard gave me fits." With that, we both exit our little room and head towards the elevator. Upon stepping into the gym area, I notice Kaidan and Ash both working out. Kaidan's benching some ridiculous amount, and Ash is kicking the shit out of a punching bag. I guess since they're not on the ground team, they need something to keep themselves busy. Ash looks over when she hears the door open and waves to us. I simply wave back before stepping in the elevator.

Now Ian and I are just standing in the slowly moving lift in silence. Why do these elevators seem to breed awkward silences?

"So Ian, what kind of music do _you_ like?" I ask randomly. Time to turn the awkwardly timed questions on him.

"What?"

"Last time we were stuck in a slow-as-hell elevator, you asked me what kind of music I like. Now I'm asking you."

"If you insist," he responds. "I like most rock music from the early 21st century. Same time period as the stuff you like, but not quite as…heavy. Stuff like Circa Survive, Daughtry, The Killers."

"Ok. At least you didn't say Justin Bieber," I stop suddenly. It's the future…a Justin Bieber joke probably doesn't mean anything anymore. He probably doesn't even know who Justin Bieber is. As soon as I stopped talking, Ian looked at me with a strange expression on his face. Luckily, before he can say anything, the elevator door opens. Without saying a word, I quickly stride out of the elevator, using my longer legs to their full advantage. However, I stop dead in my tracks when I catch my first glimpse of Urdnot Wrex.

Wow…he is an impressive sight. His scarred face and armor give testament to the harsh life he's led for over three centuries. Seriously, the scars on his face alone look like wounds that no normal being should be able to survive: the three slashes along the right side of his face that extend down to his neck, numerous smaller gouges on the plate of his head, the list goes on and on. Apparently he notices me staring because I hear a low growl.

"What are you looking at, human?" Damn his voice is low! I almost felt it more than I heard it. Ok, I need to appear strong; don't back down. I'm about to take a big risk, but the priiiiizzzeee.

…

Did I really just think that? God, I need help. Anywho, I need to respond.

"I'm looking at you, korgan," I respond, unconsciously slipping into my southern accent. Wrex's eyes narrow and he takes a menacing step forward while growling again. I try my damndest to stand my ground and look him in the eyes. We lock into a battle of will, each just staring at the other. Right as I'm about to break, Wrex takes a step back and leans against the wall.

"Not bad, kid. Most people can't hold my gaze for more than five seconds. Urdnot Wrex."

"Dylan *****," I say. I'm still shocked that my tactic worked. He still probably thinks I'm weak, but I think I've made a good first impression. "I understand that we'll both be on the upcoming mission," I continue, trying to extend the conversation.

"Well good for you. Try not to get yourself killed." I get the feeling that that's his way of ending the conversation, so I just nod and walk over to my locker. Well, my first interaction with Wrex went way better than I expected.

Ian is standing in front of what I'm assuming is his locker with the lower half of his armor on. He pauses his efforts to acknowledge my presence.

"So how'd your little talk with Wrex go?" he asks with a smile. He probably walked by us during our little staring contest.

"Went pretty well, if I do say so myself. I wouldn't say he respects me, but at least he didn't call me weak." Ian looks slightly annoyed by that.

"He didn't? What'd you do?"

"Well, he kinda caught me staring at him and tried to intimidate me. I stood my ground until he backed off and said, 'Not bad, kid,'" I answer, using my best Wrex impression.

"Really? Damn. I try to talk to him, and he calls me weak. He catches you staring, and he freaking compliments you for it." I laugh at that while he just shakes his head with a disgusted look on his face.

"I wouldn't worry about it," I tell the poor guy as I begin to put my armor on. "Maybe this mission will give you a chance to prove him wrong."

"Yeah, I guess," Ian says, finishing with his armor. He proceeds to take his sniper rifle out and stow it on his back. Two pistols soon follow.

"Going akimbo pistols, I see."

"Yeah, got the idea before hitting the sack. I figure I can keep a good deal of accuracy while increasing my fire rate."

"Isn't that what assault rifles are for?" I ask with a smirk.

"Ehh, assault rifles have never been my strong point, and I'm used to my pistols."

"Whatever works for you, bud," I respond with a shrug. I've finally gotten into my armor; now I just gotta get my Mattock and Carnifex. Ian starts to leave, but I gesture for him to wait a second. After a quick check, I see that I do, indeed, have everything, and Ian and I head for the elevator. This time, we both stay silent, and the ride actually seems much quicker.

We both step out of the lift to go to the comm. room when my stomach lets out a grumble. Ian looks a little surprised at the sudden noise, but he quickly turns that into a smile.

"You ok there, mate?" he asks.

"Yeah," I reply, rubbing my stomach. "I just forgot to eat before going to bed. You go on ahead; I'm gonna grab a quick bite to eat." The Brit just nods and keeps walking.

I walk into the little kitchenette and try to figure out how all this works. It seems kinda like one of those old automats, basically a vending machine that has all kinds of food in it, without the need to pay. There are a bunch of different rows filled with all kinds of food. Hmm…this all looks mostly fresh, so _someone_ must actually make all of these little meals, but I haven't seen an actual kitchen yet. Eh, who cares; food is food, right? Anywho, I grab what appears to be a turkey sandwich and head up to the comm. room. I hope Jenny doesn't mind eating during a briefing.

When I get to the briefing, I see Jenny, Garrus, and Ian are already here and sitting around a small table. At least I'm not the last one. Jenny sees my sandwich as I sit down but doesn't comment.

"Ok people, we're gonna get started because I seriously doubt Wrex is actually gonna show up," Jenny says. That earns a smile around the table. "We've just entered the Artemis Tau cluster," she starts while bringing up a small holo-map. "I want opinions on which system to start the search in." She looks at Garrus.

"I say we start in the Sparta system," Garrus answers.

Ian shakes his head. "No, I say we search the Knossos system." Nice guess, Ian.

"I agree with Ian on that. Call it a gut feeling," I input. Jenny just looks around the table before settling her gaze on Garrus.

"Sorry, Garrus. Majority rules." Yes! Good call, Jenny. She presses a button on the side of the table. "Joker, take us to the Knossos system," she says to the pilot. I guess that button was the PA system.

"Aye aye, ma'am," the helmsman responds. "We should be in system in about ten minutes."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later and we're orbiting Therum. It's the only remotely habitable planet in the system, so this is the only one we need to scan. It takes about thirty seconds for the scan to pick up the Prothean ruins and a rather large concentration of geth. Jenny looks at the scans for a moment before pressing the PA button.

"All members of the ground team report to the comm. room ASAP," she says ship wide. I wonder what she has planned that she needs the whole ground team for. Guess I'll find out soon. A full two minutes later, the gang's all here. It's a good thing there are enough chairs. This comm. room is kind of a hybrid of the ones from ME and ME2: it has the chairs from ME and the table from ME2.

Anywho, we're all sitting in the chairs while Jenny is standing at the head of the table. The scans are being displayed on the holo-projector, and everyone is studying them. The dig site is clearly defined, and we can all see the metric fuck-ton of geth that line the only route to the site. Normally, we'd have to drive through all that in the Mako. I'm wondering what Jenny has in mind.

"Ok people," she starts. We all stop what we were doing to look at her. "This is the situation: we have a Prothean dig site surrounded by almost an entire company of geth. It would be suicide to attack head on. A more subtle touch is needed. Here's the plan: Kaidan, Ash, and Tali, you three will be dropped in the Mako just outside of the geth lines. Get their attention and keep it."

"Shepard, that's suicide!" Kaidan exclaims.

"Kaidan, all you need to do is keep the geth occupied. Do not, under any circumstances, get into an extend firefight with them. While the three of you are keeping the geth distracted, Dylan, Garrus, Ian, Wrex, and I will do a HALO jump into the heart of the dig site." Hmm, that seems like a good…

…

Wait, what? Ummm…

"Shepard," I say to get her attention. I'm reverting to "Shepard" because we're in mission mode. "I don't think any of us, besides you, have ever done a HALO jump."

"Don't worry about that, Dylan. HALO jumps nowadays require almost no training at all. We don't even use parachutes anymore." When she says that, my jaw just drops. I look at Ian and Garrus, and they both have the same look.

"Umm…how does that work, exactly?" I ask, dreading the answer.

"It's really quite simple. The Normandy will hover at around 50,000 feet. The cargo bay doors will open. The Normandy will then create a near-massless and windless tunnel down to the ground. We jump into the tunnel and simply freefall. Since we will have very little mass, the impact with the ground is comparable to a feather landing." Wow…she says it with such confidence that I _almost_ feel reassured. "Now, are there anymore questions?" Shepard asks, looking around the room.

"Just one," Wrex speaks up. "When can I start shooting things?" That raises either a laugh or a smile from everyone in the room, even Jenn—I mean Shepard.

"Alright. Mako team, you three are getting dropped off in fifteen minutes. Go get ready. Infiltration team, we'll give Mako team an additional fifteen minutes to get the geth's attention, and then we're going in. Good luck, everyone." With that, the Mako team leaves while Shepard motions for the rest of us to stay here.

"We need to plan this out," Shepard says. She brings the map of the area back up, and we all begin to study it. Garrus is the first to speak up.

"I notice this ridge about half a klick away from the dig site," the turian says, indicating the ridge in question. "If we drop on that, Shepard, Ian, and I can do some major damage with our sniper rifles while Dylan and Wrex can advance and secure the area."

We all take a moment to study the plan. It's actually a pretty good idea. Shepard, Garrus, and Ian will be able to bring the pain from that ridge. I know I'll feel a lot better knowing that I'll have excellent sniper cover and a krogan battlemaster up there with me.

"I like it," I pronounce. I hear mutters of agreement from Shepard and Ian; even Wrex seems to appreciate the simplicity of it…also he gets to shoot stuff.

"Then it's agreed. Head on down to the cargo bay and get prepared," Shepard orders. We all nod and file out of the comm. room.

Time for the first big mission.

* * *

Half an hour later and the five of us are standing in the cargo bay. The Mako has been on the ground for fifteen minutes, and it's time for us to drop. God, I can't believe I'm about to do this. Seriously, we're about to jump out of a _spaceship_ from _50,000 feet_ with, and this is the big part, _no __fucking__ parachute_! How in the name of _fuck_ did Shepard get me to agree to this? I may have to get her back for this.

Anywho, we're all decked out in full combat gear: full helmets and pressurized armor. The cargo bay doors open and are replaced by a mass effect field to keep the bay pressurized.

"You are all set to drop, Commander," Joker announces. With that, we all step to the edge of the opening.

"Remember guys, keep your feet down and your head up," Shepard advises. Suddenly she jumps. I quickly look at Ian, then back at the open door, then back to Ian. Fuck…I can't believe I'm about to do this. I pantomime shooting myself in the head before I jump.

…

…

Fuck…fuck…fuck fuck ! What the fuck am I doing? I just jumped out of a spaceship with no parachute! I'm gonna die!

…

…

Hmm…so…ok. I think the novelty and terror of this situation are rapidly fading. There's not even any wind whipping at my face. I wonder how long this drop takes…oh wait, I can figure that out! We dropped from 50,000 feet, Therum's gravity is 1.12g's, which means an acceleration of 35.84 ft/s/s. Using basic physics, I know that this fall will take…about 53 seconds.

Damn, that's a long time. I've probably been falling for 20 seconds or so. I suppose I could contemplate the meaning of life for the last 30 seconds. Right as I move on to "why am I here?" my feet hit the ground. Wow, that wasn't bad at all. Shepard's already on the ground and setting up her sniper. A few seconds after I land, I hear three soft thuds as the rest of our team lands.

"Garrus, Ian, set up. Dylan, Wrex, start heading up. We'll provide sniper cover." No arguing with that tone of voice, so Wrex and I start moving. We're 500 meters from the clearing in front of the dig site entrance. We cross the first 300 meters or so in silence, constantly looking out for any geth patrols. We come to a large pile of boulders when the radio crackles to life.

"Dylan, Wrex, you've got a small group of geth on the other side of that rock pile," Shepard informs us. "We don't currently have a visual, but we saw them enter and haven't seen them leave."

"Copy, Shepard," I reply. Then I look at Wrex. "So, Wrex, how do you want to do this?"

"I figure we circle around each side and shoot the shit out of them," he responds with a grunt. "I'll go first and distract them, and then you can hit them from behind." Hmm, that sounds like a pretty good idea. I guess I shouldn't be surprised; he _does_ have three hundred years of experience.

"Sounds good. Just try not to shoot me." He just laughs. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Before I can say anymore, he charges around one side of the outcrop.

I wait about ten seconds before I quietly go around the other side. Before I'm half way around, the sounds of shotgun blasts and primal roars fill the air. Guess he got their attention. I round the corner to see the backs of five geth. Without hesitation, I open up on the closest one. Three rapid shots to the center of mass break the shields, and a quick headshot puts it down. The other geth waste no time addressing the new threat. Two of them turn to face me. Shit, there's no real cover around here, so I'll just have to charge through this.

I literally charge forward at the closest geth while pumping round after round into it. Apparently my headfirst charge was unconsidered as an option because the geth take longer than normal to react. By the time they start firing their own weapons, I've taken out the shields of my target. A few more rounds and the AI is dead. My omni-tool suddenly beeps, alerting me to the fact that my shields are at 25%. Shit, I don't have time to take this last geth the old fashioned way without risking injury. Suddenly, an idea slams into my mind: If the old fashioned way won't work, what about an _older_ fashioned way?

I quickly draw my Bowie knife out of its sheath. Ok, I only have one shot…er, throw, at this. I give the knife a quick underhanded throw; at this distance, an underhand is probably gonna be quicker and more accurate than an overhand. The knife leaves my hand and begins its short flight. Time seems to slow as I watch the Bowie travel through the air. The trajectory looks good…the blade is on target…YES! I must be one very lucky man because my knife impacts the geth right in its flashlight eye. It sputters a few times then dies.

Oh man, that was close. As the knife was flying, the last of my shields ran out. It was pure luck that no shots after that hit. Unsurprisingly, Wrex has easily taken care of his two geth. I walk over to pull my knife out of the geth, and when I look up, I see Wrex looking at me. He just nods. For some reason, that makes me feel very good about myself. Smiling, I activate the radio to inform Shepard of our success.

"Shepard, enemies down. Continuing to objective."

"Alright. Your eyes are back up."

The last 200 meters to the edge of the clearing are easy; we encounter no resistance. When we reach a small hill just outside the clearing, Wrex and I stop. It looks like there are between fifteen and twenty geth here guarding the entrance.

"Shepard, Ian, Garrus, do you three want to start this off?" I ask the snipers.

"It would be our pleasure," Shepard replies. "Give us thirty seconds to pick off as many as we can then go in. Be careful and good luck."

The clock starts when three geth suddenly become headless. After thirty seconds, half of the geth guards are dead. Wrex and I move into the clearing and get to work. The remaining nine geth have taken cover behind various boxes and crates. Wrex, of course, simply charges up the middle. I use his charge as a distraction to get around the geth's right flank. The combination of charging krogan, flanking human, and constant sniper support soon reduce the geth to scrap.

With the geth neutralized, Wrex and I take up defensive positions to repel any possible counterattacks while our three snipers advance to regroup with us. As soon as they reach the clearing, we all walk up the ramp that leads to the entrance. While we're walking, a moment from Left 4 Dead 2 pops into my mind. Without thinking, I start talking.

"I ever tell you about the time my buddy Keith and I were at this Prothean ruin," I start, using my best Ellis impression, "and we had to fight our way through like five tons of geth and― Hey, wait a second...I guess that was you guys. Oh, shit, man, I can't wait to tell Keith about that one!"

Before I'm half way through, everyone stops walking to stare at me. Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex look at me like I've gone stupid, and Ian is looking…confused? Why would he look confused? Without a word, we all continue walking, perfectly content to forget this happened.

Shepard opens the door, and we continue down the tunnel. At the bottom of the first ramp, we hear the telltale sounds of geth nearby. We approach the railing of the walkway and see two of them one level below us. It takes us…oh, I'd say seven seconds to reduce the synthetics to scrap metal.

"Overkill, much?" Ian asks with a smile.

"If it's worth killing, it's worth _over_killing," I tell him, smirking. That earns a laugh from everyone but Wrex. With that little bit of humor, we keep going deeper into the ruins. We reach the first elevator without seeing any more geth and hop in the lift. It starts moving, and it looks we have another slow elevator ride to endure. I take the time to study the ruins.

"I wonder what this could have been," Garrus says. I was actually wondering the same thing. I have a theory…

"I think it may have been a prison," I respond.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, these openings we keep passing look like they could be sealed. If that's the case, they would make pretty good cells." Everyone sort of mulls that over for a bit.

"I can see what you're getting at," Shepard says. Before she can say any more, the elevator stops and we all file out. Another short walkway leads to _another_ elevator. Before entering the elevator, though, Ian looks over the edge of the walkway.

"I spy with my little eye something that starts with a 'g'," he says as he takes out his sniper rifle.

"Garrus?" I reply jokingly. "Because he's standing right next to me."

"Yeah…not quite," he replies, pointing down below us. We all run over to the railing to see three geth drones rising towards us. Without any hesitation, we all start firing. I manage to get a few shots into one and take its shields down before I hear the crack of a sniper rifle going off, and my target explodes. I look over to see Ian wearing a big grin. That little bastard stole my kill again! Our eyes meet; he smirks while I give him my best stink eye.

During our little staring contest, Wrex shotguns one of the drones while Shepard Overloads the last one. That was easy. Now that that's over, we all pile into the elevator and continue our descent. This time, the trip is silent, which makes the grinding of metal on metal that soon starts sound even louder. With a final screech, the elevator stops about five feet above the walkway. I just sigh before jumping down; the others soon follow.

"Hello? Is anyone out there? Can anyone hear me?" a female voice suddenly shouts. We round a corner to see Dr. Liara T'Soni suspended in midair. "Oh thank the goddess!" she exclaims when she sees us.

"Are you Dr. T'Soni?" Shepard asks our floating asari friend.

"Yes I am. Who are you?"

"I'm Commander Shepard; we're here to rescue you. Now, what happened?"

"When the geth attacked, I ran for the central shaft that runs the length of the ruin. I was able to activate the barriers, but I must have hit something I was not supposed to. The security systems trapped me. The console behind me will disable it, but you need to find a way past the barriers." Oh boy, time for some mining laser fun.

"One last question," Shepard says. I really hate her inquisitive nature sometimes. "Do you know where Matriarch Benezia is or why she would join Saren and the geth?"

Liara looks surprised at the question. "I…no. I have not spoken to my mother in years. I have no idea what would possess her to join forces with geth."

"Alright. Sit tight, and we'll take care of the barriers." With that rather unnecessary order, Shepard walks away with the rest of us in tow. After only a short distance, we start taking fire. There's almost no cover up here on the walkway, so I sprint down the nearby ramp to the cavern floor. There are plenty of rocks down here to hide behind, and I slide behind one large enough to fit my six foot frame. I hear a thud behind me and look back to see Ian rolling into cover. Bastard must have vaulted over the rail rather than just run down the ramp.

I just shake my head as I lean out of cover. I see a geth sniper in the distance that's taking aim at someone else. It hasn't noticed me, so I start shooting at it. Before I can kill it, one of its buddies forces me back into cover. I see the red beam of the geth's sniper rifle overhead, and it just misses hitting Shepard. With almost superhuman speed, she goes down on one knee, takes aim, and fires. I peek out of cover to see one headless geth sniper fall to the ground. Hot damn that was awesome!

I see another geth aim towards me, so I aim at it. We both start shooting at the same time. I can feel rounds pinging against my shields, but the geth's pulse rifle is much less accurate than my Mattock. By the time my shields drop to 25%, I've completely take out its shields. One last shot to the head finishes it off.

While I'm waiting for my shields to recharge, I hear a sudden roar, then an explosion, then nothing. I'm gonna guess that Wrex shot a carnage shot at the last geth. I exit my cover to see the rest of the team assembling in front of the mining laser. Shepard's fiddling with the controls when it suddenly springs to life. The large beam of concentrated light cuts a tunnel into the central shaft of the ruin. With satisfied smirks, we all head into the lift.

* * *

Well, we freed Liara. Now we're all standing in the elevator as it brings us back to the surface.

"I still can't believe all this," Liara says in a somewhat shocked tone of voice. "Why would Benezia join with Saren and the geth? Why were the geth after me?"

Shepard gives her a sympathetic look before answering her. "Saren's after a piece of Prothean technology called the Conduit. He probably thought you would know where it is."

"The Conduit? I'm sorry, but…" She's interrupted by a loud rumble and violent shaking.

"Hells bells!" I exclaim, trying to keep my footing. "What's going on?" Even though I knew this would happen, I was hoping that it wouldn't. Plenty of other things have been off-canon; why not this?

"These ruins are unstable," Liara explains. "The mining laser must have triggered a seismic event."

"Joker!" Shepard says over the radio. "Lock onto our position. I want you here yesterday!"

"Aye aye, Commander. ETA, eight minutes," the pilot responds. "We've already picked up the Mako team." Well that's good to know. We're all standing here with somewhat frightened looks when we hear a growl escape Wrex.

"If I die in here, I'll kill him!"

…

YES! That was always my single favorite line in Mass Effect. As dire as this situation is, I can't stop myself from smiling.

The elevator finally stops, and I see four geth and one krogan walk in. For some reason, I always hated this little fight. Not sure why.

"Surrender," the krogan orders with a growl. "Or don't. That would be more exciting."

"Are you crazy?" Shepard exclaims. Umm…yes? "These ruins are coming down and you want to fight?"

"I know. Invigorating, isn't it?" With that, the krogan roars and charges. Luckily Wrex is the closest to him, so the two krogan charge at each other. I guess that leaves the geth for us. Garrus and I immediately open up on the sniper trying to hide in the back. Our combined firepower soon has it destroyed on the ground. Shepard and Ian each Overload a different geth while Garrus and I switch to the one that didn't get zapped. It suffers the same fate. By the time we're done with that geth, Ian and Shepard have finished their respective geth. Now, only the krogan remains. Unfortunately, we can't shoot at him without risking hitting Wrex. The two battlemasters are grappling while trying to use their boitics to gain an advantage. They're both landed punches that would probably kill any other species. This is, honestly, the most brütal **(A/N: The umlaut is necessary) **hand to hand fighting I've ever seen.

Finally, Wrex manages to biotically push the other krogan away from him. With the danger of hitting Wrex now gone, Shepard takes aim and lets loose a shot.

It goes straight through his eye.

He falls, dead.

Another loud rumble reminds us that the ruins are falling around our ears.

"C'mon people, move!" Shepard orders. We all start sprinting back towards the entrance. By now, parts of the ceiling are starting to fall. Ian and Garrus have, once again, taken the lead with Shepard not far behind. I'm running next to Liara, making sure she gets to the Normandy safely. Wrex is, unsurprisingly, in the back.

We've reached the original ramp that leads to the door out when the rumbling and shaking reaches a fevered pitch. I'm starting to internally praise Dr. Chakwas for everything she did. I'm breathing just fine, and my foot doesn't hurt for once.

Finally, we run through the door to see the Normandy hovering there waiting for us. We all jump into the airlock just as the first spurts of lava start coming out of the door behind us. The airlock closes and I can feel us fly away.

Hot damn, we just finished Therum!

**A/N: Well, now we've picked up everyone's favorite socially awkward asari. How will my meld with her go? Well, you'll just have to wait for the next chapter. Unfortunately, that could be a while...I'm guessing Monday or Tuesday.**

**Anywho, thanks for reading, and I love the reviews I've been getting. Till next time, guten tag mein leser!**


	8. Everything's Going to be Ok

**A/N: And I'm back! I have another nice interaction chapter for you guys, so I hope you like.  
**

**One quick note about in-game dialogue: I hate writing it. I'll use it if it seems necessary, but if I can, I'll find a way to either skip it or change it.**** That being said, on with the chapter!**

**Everything's Going to be Ok  
**

Well, Therum went off without a hitch. No injuries at all and the Mako survived. It's not like we needed to use it as a bridge to cross a river of lava.

…

Where did that thought come from? I guess I've watched too many action films. Anywho, every ground team member is sitting in the comm. room; luckily, the table can drop down into the floor.

"Too close Commander, 10 more seconds and we would have been swimming in molten sulfur," Joker says over the intercom. "The Normandy isn't equipped to land in exploding volcanoes. They tend to fry our sensors and melt our hull. Just for future reference."

"We almost died out there, and your pilot is making jokes?" Liara asks incredulously.

"Joker just saved our lives," Jenny (we're done with the mission) replies. "He's entitled to a few bad jokes."

"I see. It must be a human thing. I don't have a lot of experience dealing with your species, Commander. But I am grateful: not only that you saved me from the volcano, but also that you prevented the geth from capturing me for Saren."

"What did Saren want with you?" Kaidan asks. "Do you know something about the Conduit?"

"Only that it was somehow connected to the Prothean extinction. That is my real area of expertise," the doctor explains. "I have spent the last fifty years trying to figure out what happened." Shit, I realize that asari live long-ass lives, but Liara's blasé dismissal of half a century is kinda shocking to hear.

Wait, isn't this around the time that Jenny would start talking about the vision? I guess that means it's time for me to butt in. "I might be able to help you out with that." Liara gives me an almost incredulous look before answering.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think we've been introduced."

"Dylan, Dylan *****."

"Well, with all due respect Mr. *****, I have heard every theory out there. The problem is finding enough evidence to support them. The Protheans left remarkably little behind."

"Well, they sure as hell left behind that beacon on Eden Prime that I activated," I tell her. I remember how much she can ramble, so I want to cut through as much of this as I possibly can. A look of almost awe crosses her face. I guess I would be awed too if I had someone I just met solve my life's work.

"You interacted with actual Prothean technology?" she asks.

"Yupp. Burned a vision into my brain. I saw the Protheans being wiped out by a race of sentient machines called the Reapers."

"Visions? Yes…that would make sense. The beacons were designed to transmit information directly into the mind of the user. Finding one that still works is extremely rare," Liara explains. "No wonder the geth attacked Eden Prime. The chance to acquire a working beacon—even a badly damaged one—is worth almost any risk. But the beacons were only programmed to interact with Prothean physiology. Whatever information you received would have been confused, unclear." My god…she's still talking! Holy shit, I forgot how long she could talk. I even managed to skip ahead in the conversation back there. "I am amazed you were able to make sense of it at all. A lesser mind would have been utterly destroyed by the process. You must be remarkably strong-willed, Mr. *****.

"This isn't helping us find Saren, or the Conduit," Kaidan interrupts.

"Of course," Liara replies, somewhat embarrassed. "You are right. I am sorry. My scientific curiosity got the better of me. Unfortunately, I do not have any information that could help you find the Conduit. Or Saren."

"I don't know what Saren wanted with you, but I think we'll all be better off if we bring you along," Jenny tells the asari.

"Thank you, Commander. I can't think of a safer place in the galaxy than your ship. And my knowledge of the Protheans might be useful later on."

"And her biotics will come in handy when the fighting starts," Wrex adds. Oh Wrex…always focused on fighting.

"It's good to have you on the team, Liara."

"Thank you, Commander. I am very gratef—woah." She places her hand on her forehead. "I am afraid I am feeling a bit light headed."

"When was the last time you ate? Or slept?" our resident field-medic asks. "Dr. Chakwas should take a look at you."

"It is probably just metal exhaustion, coupled with learning the true fate of the Protheans. Still, it could not hurt to be examined by a medical professional. It will give me a chance to think things over. Are we finished here, Commander?"

"We can talk later after the doctor has taken a look at you. The rest of you…dismissed." With that, the ground team files out, allowing Jenny some privacy to report to the Council. Huh, I guess a meld with Liara is unnecessary right now. Why did I think it would happen right after we picked her up? Oh well, that just gives me more time to prepare for it.

I'm walking down the stairs to the crew deck when my stomach rumbles. I just realized that I haven't eaten anything since before the mission. Guess I'll grab a bite to eat. I walk into the mess area and see that I'm not the only one who's hungry; Ian's sitting at a table eating a…cheese sandwich? It doesn't even look grilled; just a piece of cheese between two pieces of bread. Weird.

Anywho, I walk over to the food machine and grab another turkey sandwich. I wonder what there is to drink on this ship. I look around to see that my options are quite limited: coffee or water. I've never been a coffee guy, so I grab a glass of water and go sit across from Ian. We both just sit there, eating in silence for a while.

"That was some mission, wasn't it?" Ian says, finally breaking the silence.

"Yeah. You got that right. You, Garrus, and Jenny worked wonders with those sniper rifles. Where'd you learn how to shoot like that?" I ask him.

"Garrus taught me," he replies with a shrug. "We've been partners for two years; he actually taught me most of what I know."

"Really? If you don't mind me saying, you two seem awfully close. You don't usually see many human-turian friendships," I say, trying not to offend him. He seems like a pretty chill dude, so I don't want to ruin any chance of being friends.

Without hesitation, he responds. "Yeah, it's a sexual thing," the Brit says with another shrug. My eyes widen in surprise…but I get the feeling that he's trying to fuck with me. His response seemed a little too quick and confident. Time to play along!

"Well good for you two!" I say with as straight a face as I can manage. "How's the chafing? I've heard it can be a real bitch." Now it's his turn to have his eyes widen. Then they narrow.

"You're taking the piss, aren't you?" I give him a look of curiosity.

"Dude, I have _no_ idea what the hell you just said." Now he gives me a look that probably means "stupid Americans."

"Taking the piss means that you're joking," he explains.

"You Brits are weird," I say with a smile while shaking my head. "So, just to be clear, you're not gay with Garrus, right?"

"Naw, I was just taking the piss," he says with a grin. I'm not sure why, but I may have to start using that phrase.

"Ok, just making sure." By now, I've somehow managed to finish my sandwich, so I give Ian a nod goodbye and leave the table.

As I leave the mess, I realize that I have no idea what to do. Maybe I'll go talk to Ash. Making up my mind, I walk into the elevator and hit the button. Once again, the ride is slow, but I seem to be getting used to it because it's much less annoying.

The door opens to a now familiar sight: Wrex leaning against his boxes, Ash at the weapons table, and Garrus calibrating the Mako. I start walking towards Ash when Wrex's voice stops me in my tracks.

"You didn't do half bad on Therum, kid," he rumbles. Damn, that's the second almost-compliment in two conversations. I'm apparently doing something right. I'm not even gonna bother about the "kid" thing; he's old enough where just about anyone is a kid to him.

"Thanks, Wrex," I respond, trying to keep eye contact. That's harder than it sounds because of the krogan's wide-set eyes. "You lived up to everything I've heard of krogan battlemasters."

"Whatever you heard, I'm better," Wrex says matter-of-factly. He says it with such confidence that it's hard to think that he's lying.

"Then care to regale me with some of your fantastic exploits?" I ask with a small smile.

He gets an annoyed look before answering. "Well, there was that one time the turians almost wiped out my entire species." Really Wrex? Way to not answer my question. I noticed while playing Mass Effect that Wrex really likes to talk about the genophage.

"Yes Wrex, I know about the genophage," I tell him in a somewhat annoyed voice.

"Well if you know so much about it, you must have an opinion." Damn, I was kinda hoping to avoid this discussion until he liked me a little more.

"I'm guessing you want a bluntly honest answer?" I ask. He nods. I make sure to look right in his eyes before continuing; he might not like my answer. "I think that, at the time, the genophage was the right call." Immediately after hearing this, he gets an angry look and growls. "I'm not done, Wrex," I tell him, trying to forestall any attempts for him to answer. "At the time, it was the right decision, but it's time for modern krogan to stop suffering for the decisions of their ancestors. If I had my way, the severity of the genophage would be reduced: instead of one in a thousand, maybe one in a hundred. Let's face it, Wrex; the krogan in their current state would just repeat the actions of the Krogan Rebellions. You can't return to your old birth rates, but a slight increase will keep your species alive." With that, I fall silent, waiting to face Wrex's wrath.

The battlemaster just stands there for a while. "Your honesty in the face of a krogan battlemaster is commendable," he finally says. Holy shit, did I just get another almost-compliment? "I may not like everything you just said, but you show some sympathy for our current situation. That's more than most people give. You've given me something to consider."

He leans back against his wall. I'm guessing that's his sign that this conversation is over. I guess I'll just walk away now; I _did_ originally come down here to talk to Ash anyway. As I walk away, I contemplate the conversation I just had. I basically told a krogan that the genophage was a good idea, and he didn't kill me. I'm still not totally sure how that happened, but I'm not complaining. Getting closer to where Ash is standing, I start to hear what sounds like a teenage girl's voice.

"And we saw a news vid of you and your new team on the Citadel. That Lieutenant Alenko and that Dylan guy looked kinda cute. Later sis!" I barely stop myself from laughing out loud. I don't think I've ever been called cute before. I'm not ugly, mind you, but even _I_ wouldn't call myself the best looking guy. I've got nothing on Kaidan.

Anywho, despite my best efforts, a few chuckles manage to escape. Unfortunately, Ash heard them, and she turns to see me still fighting back laughter. She facepalms and mutters, "Oh god. Please tell me you didn't hear that."

"Sorry, Ash. Caught it right there at the end," I tell her, still trying to stifle my laughter. I take a few deep breaths to regain my composure before speaking again. "So I'm guessing that was a sister?" I ask, trying to save her some embarrassment.

"Yeah," she replies, looking relieved that I changed subjects. "That was Sarah, the youngest. I'm the second of four girls." Wait…I thought she was the oldest. What the fuck? How many fucking things are different from the game now? Granted, this isn't a _huge_ change, but still! Oh…she's still talking. Guess I should listen. "Abby was first, then me, Lynn, and Sarah. My dad used to say he felt more outnumber at home than on maneuvers," she says with a small chuckle.

"So your dad was in the Alliance too?" I ask, already knowing the answer. I _hate_ having to play dumb.

"Yeah, I come from a long line of Alliance soldiers: great-grandmother, grandfather, father, and now me."

"So what was it like with three sisters?" I ask with genuine curiosity. "I'm an only child, so I never had any siblings."

"Well, with dad away so much, we kinda had to help raise each other. Because of this, the four of us grew pretty close. Now that I'm in the Alliance, I don't get to see them nearly as much as I want to." She pauses, but she looks like she wants to add something. Apparently she makes up her mind because she starts speaking again.

"'_I cannot rest from travel: I will drink  
Life to the lees; all times I have enjoy'd  
Greatly, have suffer'd greatly, both with those  
That loved me, and alone._'"

"Tennyson, right?" I ask, once again knowing the answer.

"It's 'Ulysses'. It was my dad's favorite. He would record me reading it every time before he shipped out."

"Is it still his favorite?"

"I hope so," she tells me. "I read it to him every time I visit his grave."

"I'm sorry, Ash. I didn't know," I lie. I really hate having to do this. It makes me feel terrible.

"It's ok, Dylan," she says with a wan smile. "I know he's in a better place now." And here are the first hints of her religious side. I wondered how long it would take for her to mention this.

"You mean he's with God now?" I ask.

"Yeah. That doesn't bother you, does it? That I believe in God?" she asks almost hesitantly.

"Ash, you have the right to believe whatever you want. As Evelyn Beatrice Hall once said, 'I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.' Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs." She actually looks happy about my answer.

"I'm glad to hear that," Ash says with a smile. "A lot of people seem weirded out by my beliefs. It's good to see that some people are tolerant of other peoples' beliefs."

Hmm…maybe since we're talking about tolerance, I should subtly ask her about our alien friends. "So Ash, not to get off topic, but how was your end of the ground mission?" She looks a little surprised at my sudden shift in topic, but she takes it in stride.

"It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," she tells me. "Kaidan did an excellent job driving, and I was actually glad to have Tali with us." She said something nice about one of the non-human crew? Wow, that's better progress than I was expecting. "She was able to optimize the shields and keep them up when we were getting pounded. And the gun handled like a dream," she adds with a wicked smile. I can't help but smile back.

"I guess all of Garrus' calibrations were worth it."

"You know, at first I was concerned that he had too much access to the Mako. But now, I'm glad he did what he did." Holy shit, did she just _compliment_ Garrus?

"I gotta say, Ash, I wasn't expecting to hear you complimenting our non-human crew members," I tell her.

"I'll admit, I didn't trust them at first—I'm still not sure I trust Wrex or Liara—but Tali and Garrus have shown that they can, basically, be trusted."

"I'm glad that you're at least starting to trust our alien allies, Ash. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to be in engineering," I tell her, just now remembering that I have an actual shift in engineering.

"Have fun playing with tech, nerd," she teases. Now I regret telling her that; it's gonna keep biting me in the ass.

"Oh I will, Ash. Don't you worry," I say, not rising to her bait. With that, I start walking towards engineering. I have a fun few hours ahead of me.

* * *

About six hours later, I walk out of engineering, my shift over. I check the time on my omni-tool to see that it's 2330, ship time. Most of the crew is probably asleep. I should probably go to bed too—my stomach growls—right after I get a bite to eat. I step into the elevator and press the button for the crew deck. One ride later, and the elevator stops.

I step out to see Jenny sitting alone at a table. I guess she wasn't kidding about the insomniac thing. She hears my footsteps and looks up, giving me a small smile. It looks like she's reading a book. I mean an actual paper book; not a datapad. It looks incredibly old, but I'm not surprised. I'll ask about it _after_ I get my food. I walk up to the machine and grab a simple bowl of cereal.

Sitting down across from Jenny, I take a look at the book. The cover and binding are incredibly worn from constant handling, and the pages are that kind of yellow color associated with old books. Surprisingly, the title isn't shown anywhere that I can see. Guess I'll just have to ask.

"What'cha reading?"

"It's an old play by an author named Tom Stoppard in the mid-20th century," she tells me. Wait…a Tom Stoppard play…no, it couldn't be. That would be too much of a coincidence. "It's called _Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead_." My jaw drops and my eyes widen in surprise. That was one of Jenny's favorite books in my dimension. It's also one of mine.

Jenny notices my expression and asks, "Are you ok?"

I take a second to regain my composure before answering. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just surprised that anyone on this ship has even heard of _Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead_."

"It's one of my favorite pieces of literature," she tells me. "This book has been in my family for almost two hundred years."

"I love it too. It's too bad it's fallen into obscurity." Suddenly I get an idea. This could be fun. "Do you want to play Questions?" I ask in my best British accent. A big smile appears on her face.

"What's that?" she asks in her own British accent. Ohhh, this is gonna be fun.

"You mean you don't know?"

"Why would I?"

"You've read the book, haven't you?"

"Which book is that?"

"How do you not know which book we're talking about?"

"Why would I know?"

"Isn't it in your hands?"

"I don't know, is it?"

"Are you blind?"

"No."

"Statement: one-love," I say with a smile.

"Do you know where the next mission is?" she asks, keeping the game going.

"Shouldn't you know?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Aren't you the commander?"

"Who said I was?"

Unfortunately, I hesitate, and she catches that. "Hesitation: one-one."

"So where is the next mission?" I ask.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"It's not to me," I mutter without thinking.

"Statement: two-one," she declares. Damn, one more point and she wins. Time for shit to get real.

"Do you want to stop?"

"Why would we do that?" Damn. She didn't fall for it.

"Why do we do anything?"

"Foul! No rhetoric: three-one and game," she says with a triumphant smile. "Good game Dylan."

"Same to you, Jenny. So earlier, you said that book has been in your family for two hundred years. If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?"

"I was born on Earth," she tells me. So she's an Earth-born background. I wouldn't have expected that. I was thinking Spacer. "My family lived in North America." Wait, family? I though the Earth-born was an orphan in the city. What the hell? Now I'm very curious.

"What was your family like?" I ask with genuine curiosity.

"Pretty average, I suppose. I have a younger brother: He's a writer now. Dad's still teaching after over forty years, and Mom…well, Mom's not doing too well." Her voice turns sad and she looks down at the table. Shit, I must have brought up a sore point.

"I'm sorry, Jenny," I say with real regret. "What's the matter?"

"The doctors don't know," she replies with a hitch in her voice. "They say she has less than two months." Then I hear her sniffle. Shit. Is she…is she crying? Oh my god, she is. Well now _I_ feel awful. I need to do _something_, so I get up and sit next to her. I'm not quite sure what to do, so I simply put my arm around her shoulders and whisper encouraging words. She rests her head on my shoulder and continues to cry.

"Everything's going to be ok. Just let it out, Jenny; just let it out," I whisper soothingly.

An hour later and she's asleep.

**A/N: And there you go. Some emotional stuff there at the end. That will come into play more later on.  
**

**I just want to give another thanks to iNf3ctioNZ for being such a good sport. (I hope I used the British expression right)**

**Speaking of Ian, I have a poll up on my profile about when Ian and Dylan should find out about each other. I want to hear the opinions of my loyal readers. Edit: As of 8-4-11, the poll is closed. I loved seeing what my readers thought, but I've figured out exactly how and when the reveal is gonna happen. I hope you like it when it finally happens.  
**

**Anywho, thanks for reading, and don't forget to review! I know I say it every time, but I love hearing from you guys. Later!  
**


	9. Philosophical Ramblings

**A/N: And we're back! I've got another short interaction chapter before the next mission. What is that mission, you ask? Well you'll find out soon. ;)**

**On an unrelated note, there will be some philosophical discussion this chapter. I wanted to add a little class to this story...actually, I've just been in a philosophical mood, so I felt like writing about it. Any beliefs expressed by me during this chapter are not intended to cause offense. Please respect my beliefs, and I will respect yours.**

**Ok, now that that's out of the way, on to the chapter!**

**Philosophical Ramblings**

Well I'm glad she's asleep. I know sometimes it's good to cry, but almost an hour of it probably isn't healthy. Unfortunately, she's fallen asleep with my shoulder as her pillow, so I'm kinda stuck. I'm gonna wait a bit then try to move her into her room.

I really don't even know what to think about the whole situation. It's nice to see the human side of Jenny, but now I'm wondering if she's gonna be alright. I'm not sure what would happen if she fell apart in the middle of a mission. I'll just have to hope that she can keep her private life out of her job. I know it sounds cold-hearted, but the galaxy _needs_ her to be a hero.

This is getting me nowhere, and I think it's been long enough. I'm gonna move her into her quarters. Very carefully, I manage to lift her up: one arm supporting her back, and the other under her knees. I slowly start to walk towards her room. Luckily, her door is on a proximity switch, so it opens automatically. I take a second to examine her room. It's got a bed, a desk, a bathroom, and…that's it. Wow, talk about Spartan.

Anywho, I carefully lower Jenny onto her bed and quietly exit. Poor girl needs her sleep—suddenly I yawn—and so do I, apparently. I walk into the elevator and press the button. Leaning against the wall, I close my eyes and just let my mind go blank; I'm too tired to think anymore. Before I know it, the door opens, and I stagger into the bedroom. Like I figured, the others are zonked out already, so I quietly slip into my bunk. I'm asleep soon after my head hits the pillow.

* * *

_A scream echoes through the blackness. A scream filled with such terror and unending pain that it pierces the very fiber of my being. Images flash across my consciousness faster than I can process. I try desperately to grasp at one, endeavoring to make sense of the scenes shooting through my mind. _

_Suddenly, it stops. The sights fade to black, and the echoes of the scream slowly die away. I heave a mental sigh of relief as the anguish slowly ends. _

_Abruptly, the void is once again replaced by visions. These, however, are coherent enough to comprehend and are unaccompanied by screams. A being on its knees: one hand clutching its chest, the other extended to the heavens. A flash, and the scene changes: more of the same beings, now running from an unseen terror._

_The cry of anguish starts again. The pictures begin to speed across my mind's eye again, too fast to grasp. The inhuman shriek continues, cutting through my soul, driven by the power of a trillion lives long since consigned to the annals of myth and legend. _

_Finally, a single image coalesces from the chaotic collage: an innumerable fleet descending from the emptiness beyond the edge of the galaxy. The scream dies away against the power of the voice of the horde._

"_Your presence here changes nothing. We are eternal. Our vanguard approaches; we cannot be denied."_

* * *

My eyes fly open, and I immediately sit up, panting. Holy. Fucking. Shit. What the _fuck_ just happened to me? Did the vision just flare up on its own? Was that even the vision? It seemed…similar, yet still different. What parts I could understand were much more vivid, and I don't remember that little message at the end. I'll be honest, that voice chilled my blood.

God, what time is it? I glance at my omni-tool and—god damn it. It's only 0500. I barely got five hours of sleep! Fuck. I glance around the room to see that the others are still asleep. I sigh quietly; last in bed and first one out. Well, I might as well get up; there's no way I'm falling asleep again after _that_.

I exit the room as quietly as I can—harder than it sounds with automatic doors. Luckily, the pneumatic hiss of the door doesn't wake anyone else. Standing outside the room, I consider my possibilities. I think I'll go up to the mess deck and get more food; I didn't really get to finish my dinner, what with Jenny's moment of need.

The trip is a short one, and I'm soon sitting in the mess hall with another bowl of cereal. As I'm eating, my mind wanders back to the vision. It was different from the one the beacon gave me, but it still seemed similar. The message at the end is the main discrepancy. It almost seemed like they were speaking directly to me: a _personal_ warning instead of a general one like the beacon. But how could they possibly know that I'm here? And why would they target me?

"Hello, Mr. *****," a voice suddenly says behind me. This comes as somewhat of a surprise, and as a result of this, I start choking on the cereal that I had just swallowed.

"My goodness, are you alright?" the voice, which I've identified as Liara, asks. I raise a hand to forestall any other questions, so I can cough myself back to health. A few hearty coughs later and I'm ok. I take a few deep breaths before answering.

"Yes Liara, I'm alright; you just startled me, that's all," I tell the young (for asari) doctor. "Oh, and please just call me Dylan," I add with a smile.

"Ok Dylan. I was surprised to find someone else awake at this time," Liara comments while taking a seat across from me at the table.

"I couldn't really sleep," I say with a shrug, answering her unspoken question. Then I give her a curious look. "Why are _you_ up so early?"

"Asari have a different circadian rhythm than humans," she begins to explain. Damn, I've unleashed her inner doctor. "Thessia has a rotational period analogous to about twenty human hours, and our biology is such that we require less sleep than an average human. We only need about five hours of sleep to function normally."

"Wow," I respond. That's something you never learn in the game. "That sounds very beneficial," I tell her.

"It is actually not as advantageous as it sounds. Our bodies work on a different biological clock: We may only need five hours of sleep, but we must rest more often."

"'I am learning all the time. My tombstone will be my diploma,'" I quote.

"That is very true. I was not expecting such wisdom from one so young."

I let out a small chuckle. "Well, I like to consider myself an amateur philosopher. Every new idea is welcome in here," I say, tapping my head.

"Really?" she asks, sounding slightly shocked. "I will admit, I know very little about human philosophy."

"Well there are so many different schools and branches: there's metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, logic," I explain. "The list goes on and on. Personally, my favorite is epistemology: it deals with the nature of knowledge and the relationships between truth, belief, and justification."

"So what are your beliefs on that subject?" the doctor asks with curiosity etched across her face. Hmm, I wasn't planning on this being a philosophical discussion, but maybe this'll be fun.

"Well, I'm not sure if my beliefs fall into any single category. I've tried to read various works and create my own ideology. Like most Western philosophies, the Latin phrase '_cogito ergo sum'_—'I think, therefore I am' in English—serves as the base for what I believe. Basically, while I can question the validity of almost anything I encounter, the simple fact that I can question these things proves my own existence. Past that, you could almost call me a relativist: everything—from beliefs to experiences to truth itself—is relative to every individual. In essence, my ability to think proves my existence, and every other thinking being has an existence that is true in his or her frame of reference."

After that very long-winded explanation, I just sit back and take in Liara's shocked expression. It's actually quite funny: her eyes widened some time ago, and her jaw actually dropped near the end. I can't help but smile at the look on her face. I wish I knew how to take pictures on my omni-tool; talk about having dirt on the future Shadow Broker. Finally, she schools her expression.

"That was…fascinating," she replies in a voice that matches the expression she had. "I had no idea that human philosophies were so individualistic."

"Well, humans as a species tend to be very focused on individuality. Because of this, almost everyone has a personal ideology. To make things easier, we group these based on major points of belief. It sounds like asari philosophy is much less varied."

"It is. The main asari belief is called 'siari', which roughly translates to 'all is one'. Essentially we believe that all life is connected, part of a greater whole that makes up the universe. When a person dies, their spirit returns to the greater consciousness of the universe. Our ability to meld with other species reinforces the universal connection in the minds of most asari."

Now it's my turn to look amazed. The various philosophies of alien cultures are something that never gets talked about in the game. Now, of course, I want this conversation to keep going. I'm a sucker for an intellectual discussion.

* * *

Almost three hours later, we're _still_ talking. We've discussed almost every branch of philosophy, and I've had a blast! Honestly, I can only remember one time I've had more fun just talking. The fact that she isn't human only added an extra dimension; she brought up points that I would have never considered, and vice-versa.

"Now, anyone returning to the darkness of the cave would be just as blinded as he was upon exiting it; he would need time to adjust to the darkness once again, correct?" I ask, continuing the current topic.

"Yes, I would agree with you," Liara replies.

"If he was called into a competition before he was fully adjusted, would he not look like a fool in the opinions of his new peers? Would they not ridicule him and say that his eyes were ruined by the light."

"Without a doubt."

"Well, my dear Liara, you should take this allegory, as a whole, and apply it to the process of acquiring knowledge. Man's base state is equated with life in the cave; illusions exist all around us. Only through ascending from the cave can you truly see. It might be a long and painful process to dispel the illusions you learned in the cave, but the end result is worth every effort."

The hiss of a door opening interrupts my monologue. Liara and I look away from each other to see Jenny exiting her room. She looks much better than she did before; a good night sleep can work wonders.

"Hey Jenny," I say, giving her a smile and a small wave. "How'd you sleep?"

"Hey Dylan, Liara. I slept great, thanks," she responds with a smile of her own. "What are you two doing up here alone?"

"Dylan and I have been sharing information," Liara tells Jenny. "It has been quite enlightening. I cannot remember the last time I had such fun."

"I had a great time too, Liara," I tell the asari. "We'll have to do this again sometime." I glance at my omni-tool. Oh shit, I almost forgot. "Sorry to cut this short, but I'm almost late for my shift in engineering," I say, getting up from the table. "Till next time Liara." Then I look at Jenny. "Jenny, I'm glad to see you're feeling better," I tell the commander as I'm walking toward the elevator.

"Thanks Dylan. Have fun in engineering."

"I will," I respond as the elevator door closes.

Hot damn, that was a fun waste of three hours. I'm glad that Jenny showed up when she did, though; I would have forgotten my shift, and Adams would have been pissed.

Anywho, the elevator door opens, and I walk out and into engineering. The familiarly beautiful sight of the Tantalus Drive Core greets me. No matter how many times I walk into this room, I will _always_ look at this sight with awe. The spinning of the core is stunningly hypnotic, and I take a few moments to appreciate the sight.

When I manage to tear my eyes away from the drive core, I look around to see who else is on shift right now. Adams is here, obviously, as is Barret, Emerson, and Draven. Hmm, Tali and Ian are here too, though it looks like Ian is just here to talk to Tali. I actually haven't had a shift with Tali yet; this should be fun. I walk up to the two of them and make my presence known.

"Hey you two, what's up?"

"Oh, hey Dylan. We were just talking," Ian tells me. "I came in here to ask Tali about some tech stuff, and it just kinda went from there."

"Ian started using human idioms," Tali adds. "He was just telling me more about human culture."

"Was he using human idioms, or British ones?" I ask her. As far as I can guess expressions with her, she seems confused. Time to clarify. "Did he start saying stuff like 'Cheers' or 'taking the piss' or 'Bob's your uncle' or other expressions that sounded just plain weird?" I ask, giving Ian a grin. To his credit, he looks slightly offended.

"I'll have you know, our expressions are perfectly normal," Ian retorts. I start to laugh.

"Relax, Ian, I'm just taking the piss," I say to calm him down. The fact that I used a British idiom was just icing on the cake. Tali is just watching our back-and-forth with a bemused look on her face (you know what I mean!).

"Bloody Americans," he mutters, shaking his head. "I'm gonna go. Nice talking with you, Tali. Cheers!" he says as he walks out of the room.

"That was…odd," Tali says once Ian is out of the room. "Are all humans as strange as you two?" she asks, looking at me.

"Probably not," I say with a shrug. Then I grin. "But you gotta admit we're fun to be around."

"It certainly is entertaining."

"Yeah. Hey, quick question: what kind of tech stuff was Ian asking about?"

"He wanted to make his Overload more powerful," she replies. "His omni-tool had a built in energy cap which I was able to remove."

"You know, I've wanted to learn a few tech skills," I say with a thoughtful expression. "That way I'm more than just a simple soldier. Do you think you could show me some?"

"Of course, Dylan," she says with a smile in her voice. "Are there any particular skills you'd like to learn?"

"I kinda wanted to learn how to use Overload and Sabotage."

"Well, that will make things easier. Those two programs are very similar."

"Really? How do they work?" I ask.

"Overload sends a large pulse of electricity to the target's shield capacitor," she explains, now in full tech mode. "If a large enough charge is sent, or if the capacitor is small enough, the Overload will completely short out the shields. Sabotage works along the same principles, only the charge is directed at the heat sink of the target's weapon."

"So are these programs easy to use?"

"Extremely so. Once the programs are on your omni-tool, they're basically a point-and-shoot."

"So…how would I go about acquiring these programs?" I ask, almost hesitantly. I really hope they're easy to get.

"Open up your omni-tool," she tells me. I comply, and she opens up hers as well. She fiddles around for a few moments, and then I hear a ping from my omni-tool. I look down to see two new programs just sitting there. I look back up at Tali.

"Thanks Tali!" I exclaim.

"My pleasure, Dylan. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I need to get back to work."

"Yeah, and I need to _get_ to work," I say with a smile, walking to my station. Time for some engineering fun.

* * *

A few hours later, Jenny's voice sounds over the PA system.

"Would all ground team members please report to the comm. room ASAP," she announces. Tali and I look up from what we were doing. Then we look at each other, then to Engineer Adams.

"Well, what are you two waiting for?" he asks us. "You heard the commander. Get up to the comm. room."

We look at each other, and I just shrug and start walking out. Tali soon follows me into the elevator. Right as I'm about to hit the button, I hear a deep growl.

"Hold it," Wrex grumbles, walking into the elevator. I look around the cargo bay to see if Garrus needs a ride. I don't see him, so I'm guessing he's already up on the crew deck. I press the button, and we start on our merry way. We all stay silent and the elevator soon stops.

When the three of us enter the comm. room, we see that we're the last ones in the room. Everyone else has already taken their usual seat, so I sit down at mine: next to Ash and Ian.

"Ok people, here's what we've got," Jenny starts. "Our next mission will be to investigate the human colony of Feros. It has recently gone dark after reports of geth in the area. We have no idea why the geth would attack this colony, so our mission is twofold: most importantly, we rid the planet of geth. Once that has been accomplished, we try to discover why the geth would attack in the first place. Are there any questions?" she asks us, looking around the room.

"Who are you taking with you, Shepard?" Kaidan asks. She considers this before answering.

"You, Ash, Tali, and Dylan," Jenny replies, pointing to each person as she says their name. Wow, I get two missions in a row. Though I suppose I would be needed eventually, so I can acquire the Cipher from Shiala.

Wait…oh shit. Am I going to be able to keep my mind closed while she gives me the Cipher? I would think so because she's simply putting information into my mind; she's not trying to read anything in there like Liara will. But still, that's something I don't need happening. I sigh quietly. There's really nothing I can do about it. I'm pulled from my reverie by Ash asking another question.

"When are we getting there, ma'am?"

"We'll arrive in about an hour. Are there any more questions?" No one speaks up. "Alright then, those of you not on the ground team…dismissed. Ground team, stick around; we need to talk tactics."

Ian, Garrus, Wrex, and Liara all file out, leaving the five of us sitting around the table. Jenny presses a few buttons, and what looks like a map of the colony appears. Time to get planning.

Feros, here we come.

**A/N: So Feros is up next. Should be fun times. This'll give Dylan a chance to use his new found tech skills.**

**Kudos to anyone who can identify the allegory I used while talking to Liara.**

**Anywho, that's about it for now. You guys probably know what I say at this point by now, so I'll just say goodbye and thanks for reading.  
**


	10. A Fun Little Fight

**A/N: Hey folks. Sorry about the long delay. Apparently, life thought I was having it too easy, so it decided to fuck me this past week or so. Unfortunately, delays like this will probably become common. School shit is starting to kick in, and as much as I hate to say it, that takes precedence over this story. I'm still gonna shoot for one update a week, but no promises.**

**As if that wasn't bad enough, this chapter is my shortest yet. I'm splitting up my _original_ first Feros chapter into two different ones**. **If i _hadn't_ done this, you guys would be waiting even longer for this chapter.**

**Anywho, that's it for now. Enjoy the chapter!**

**A Fun Little Fight**

With the colony map in front of us, Jenny, Ash, Kaidan, Tali, and I take a minute to study the layout. True to the game, the dock is just a level below the main colony. We can see all of the various sub-levels where the "hunt-and-gather" missions for the colony take place. I already know those are gonna be a _blast_.

"It looks like our best option is to simply dock here below the colony," I say, indicating the place in question. "From there, it should be easy to make contact with the colonists."

"I don't really see any other options," Jenny says, still looking contemplatively at the map. "We have no idea what the geth presence is like, so expect a hostile welcome. I shouldn't need to tell you watch your targets," she adds with a smile. "You guys know by now that flashlight head equals bad." That earns a smile from everyone. "Go get ready. Be at the airlock in 45 minutes. Dismissed." With that, the four of us file out of the comm. room. We all pile into the elevator to head down to the cargo bay. The ride is silent, and the door soon opens.

Our pre-mission prep begins in silence. Ash, Kaidan, and I need to get our armor on, and it looks like Tali is adding some pieces onto her suit. I'm not half way armored when my curiosity finally gets the better of me.

"What are you doing, Tali?" I ask, looking at the quarian machinist.

"I'm adding the armored sections onto my enviro-suit," she replies, still adding pieces on here and there.

"So quarian enviro-suits aren't naturally armored?"

"Only some parts are. The torso, for example, has the armor built in. However, most of the limbs are usually unarmored."

"Hmm. Learn something new every day," I say, resuming my preparations. I already have the leg portion of my armor on; now I pull on the armored boots, sealing them to the rest of the armor. Next comes the main torso piece. This one is always a pain in the ass: there's one seal that's almost impossible to reach without dislocating a shoulder. After much straining, I finally get the chest piece on. Compared to that small ordeal, the arms are easy. I take a second to make sure everything's feeling the way it should. I do a quick visual inspection and come to a conclusion: next time we're on the Citadel, I _need_ to get this armor painted. It's still just a dull grey.

Finally I'm armored up; now I've got to arm up. My trusty Mattock goes on the magnetic strip on my back, and the Carnifex goes on my waist. Last but not least, my good ol' Bowie knife goes on my leg sheath. After Therum, I'm not going on any mission without that blade. Now that I'm loaded for bear, I look at the progress of my teammates.

Huh…they're already in the elevator waiting for me. Whoops. I hurry over and get into the lift. "Sorry," I tell them, giving a slightly sheepish look.

"Don't worry about it," Ash tells me with a smile. "We're still gonna be early."

"So…" I say as the elevator starts to rise. "You three ready for your first ground mission?"

"We were on the ground on Therum," Kaidan argues.

"Yeah, but you guys were just a distraction," I tell him, waving my hand in dismissal. "Now you're actually part of the main team."

"Yeah well, that _distraction_ probably saved your lives," Ash butts in.

"Hey, I didn't say it wasn't important," I say with a smile. "I just said you guys weren't part of the main team. I know you guys did work in the Mako. Now I wanna see if you three can do work on foot."

"Dylan," Kaidan starts, giving me a look, "Ash and I worked with you on Eden Prime. You know what we can do on foot." Oh yeah…I kinda forgot about that.

"Yeah well…" I begin to say. Unfortunately, I don't have a comeback for that. "Shut up," I finish weakly.

"Nice comeback," Ash says, trying to repress a laugh. She fails, and the elevator is soon filled with the sound of laughter. The door soon opens, and we all file out, heading for the bridge.

* * *

"The Commanding Officer is ashore. XO Pressley has the deck," the Normandy's VI announces. The door to the airlock opens, and I'm greeted with my first sight of Feros. There's a lot of…grey. That's about all I can see right now: grey stone. I can tell that I'm gonna get bored of this scenery very quickly.

Anywho, the squad advances across the gangplank. Turning the corner, we see long walkway with crates dotting the low wall. At the end, a single man is standing there. Oh shit, this guy gets cheesed* after we talk to him. I gotta see if I can save him. Poor bastard doesn't deserve that fate.

*_It's like getting creamed, only harder and much more permanent._

"We saw your ship," the man, David I think, says as we get closer. "Fai Dan wants to speak with you immediately."

"Who's Fai Dan?" Jenny asks as we all stop in front of him. I'm starting to keep an eye out for any geth. None so far.

"He's our leader," David informs us. "He needs your help to prepare for the geth. They're making another push. Please, up the stairs and past the freighter." As he starts his last sentence, I see a few geth round the corner.

"Get down!" I yell as I basically tackle the man to the ground. We hit the ground just in time: I could feel the heat of the rocket pass by my head. Unfortunately, my timely save has left me dangerously without cover. Luckily, everyone else reacted almost immediately to my warning and is now providing cover fire. I waste no time getting behind one of the crates, pulling a terrified David along with me. After making sure David is safe, I lean out of my cover to assess the situation.

The squad has already taken out two geth, but more just keep rounding that damned corner. Hmm…I think now would be a good time to try out one of my new tech powers. Opening up my omni-tool, I open up the Overload program. Targeting a geth that's shooting at Ash, I let loose my first Overload.

It misses.

Fuck! The damn geth ducked behind cover right as I sent the potentially deadly pulse of electricity. Well now I'm angry. I look around to see another geth rise out of cover. It's not looking at me, so I'm able to let loose a few rounds before it starts to return fire. I can feel the first few rounds ping against my shields, but I'm feeling like a stubborn idiot, so I keep firing. Unfortunately, the geth's shields are stronger than I anticipated, and my own shields fall below 25%. Damn it, I need to take cover.

I quickly drop behind the crate I'm using for cover. I can hear bullets impacting the front of the crate; I really hope this thing can hold together. While I'm waiting for my shields to recharge, I look back to see what the rest of the squad is doing.

Jenny is doing what she does best: sniping with ridiculous accuracy. Every time I see her shoot, I hear a geth sputter and die. Ash has advanced to the crate right next to mine. She's unleashing surprisingly accurate fire with that shitty Lancer I of hers. I guess I shouldn't be surprised: she's been training with that weapon for years. Kaidan's just sitting back and seems to be flinging biotic powers left and right, with a few tech attacks for variety. And Tali…hmm, that's weird, I don't see Tali anywhere. I wonder where—

—Suddenly, what looks like a rocket zips right by my face. Then I see Tali standing there holding her shotgun. The barrel is smoking. Hot damn, I think she just let loose a Carnage shot! That was awesome! The explosion and sounds of dying geth that followed were just icing on the cake.

Well, my shields are finally up, so I pop back out of cover, looking for a target. I see a rocket trooper lurking in the back of the geth ranks…I think I'll give it some extra lead. Three shots to break its shields, and two to the head to put it down. Clean and simple. Scanning the area, I don't see any more geth, but the radar on my HUD shows that there are more around the corner. Apparently they're gonna let us come to them.

"Alright folks, move up, but be careful rounding that corner," Jenny orders. "Ash, you get to the far side and lay down covering fire. Dylan, once she's done that, you round the corner and do the same. Everyone stack up."

We all advance to the corner, clinging to the wall: Ash first, then me, Jenny, Tali, and Kaidan. Why do I get the feeling that something is going to get FUBAR? Before I can dwell on it further, I get a tap on the shoulder. I guess everyone behind me is ready, so I repeat the gesture to Ash. She waits a total of two seconds before sprinting to the crate on the opposite wall. She doesn't take two steps before the geth start firing at her.

In an attempt to draw some of their attention, I lean around the corner and provide cover fire. I'm not even really aiming; I'm just trying to get those damn synthetics into cover, so Ash can actually survive this sprint. Finally, Ash slides in behind the crate. She takes a few moments to let her shields recharge before providing cover for my own advance. Alright, it's show time.

I take a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for what I'm about to do. Before I have a chance to chicken out, I round the corner, hugging the wall. Luckily, I was able to scout for a position while I was giving covering fire. Unfortunately, the nearest crate on my wall is halfway up the damn path. I hunch over, going into a crouch-run; it's not as fast as a full sprint, but less of me is out in the open. Soon I feel rounds impact my shields. They're holding, but I still want to reach cover ASAP.

Ok, I'm half way there. Everything is going as smoothly as possible, and—HOLY SHIT A ROCKET! An explosive projectile the size of my head is coming right _at_ my head! Without conscious thought, I simply drop to the ground. I once again feel the heat as it passes over my head. This is the second fucking time I've barely missed having a Garrus moment. And unlike Garrus, I wouldn't be walking away from that.

Holy fucking shit-balls, that was close. My heart is pumping faster than Ash's Lancer as I get up off the ground to continue my sprint. After what feels like an eternity, I slide behind my target crate. Damn, my shields dropped to 10%. I didn't even hear the warning…probably happened when my life flashed before my eyes. Fucking rockets.

Anywho, now that my shields are full, I pop out of cover to start whittling away at the geth. I see five regular troopers, one rocket trooper (bastard), one sniper, and two shock troopers. This should be fun. I hear a loud crack, and what's left of the rocket trooper's head is now chilling with some nearby neutrinos. I decide to focus on the sniper; those little fuckers can be a real pain in the ass. On an impulse, I decide try an Overload again. Hopefully this time it won't fucking _miss_.

I send the pulse of electricity screaming towards the sniper at the speed of light. This time, my target doesn't duck at the last second, and the Overload connects, sending the geth sniper into spasms as its circuitry is fried. It's still out in the open, so I put two rounds into its head to finish the job. Looking for a new target, I see that Kaidan has lifted one of the shock troopers out of cover. Without hesitation, I start to empty my heat sink into the helpless synthetic. I hear another loud crack, and suddenly the shock trooper has a brand new hole in its head. I'm always getting my kills stolen by people with fucking sniper rifles! I've got to get me one of those.

Before I duck back into cover, I survey the battlefield. It looks like two regular troopers have also been killed, leaving three regular and one shock trooper left. Dropping behind my crate, I take a few moments to let my shields recharge and to take a few deep breaths. This firefight hasn't been going on for very long, but I'm feeling quite tired. Ehh, we're almost done with this, so I'll just tough through the tiredness.

Right as I exit cover again, I hear the sound of another dying geth. Guess that's one less to worry about. It must have been one of the regular troopers because I see the shock trooper almost dead ahead. Before I even get a round off, I see it start to spasm as electric bolts are discharged from its body. Hurray for Overload; this just makes my job even easier. It shares the same fate as the sniper: two shots to its flashlight head. I focus on another geth right as it takes a shotgun blast to the torso. I'm gonna guess that was Tali's handiwork. It was a nice shot, so I won't complain.

As the echoes of Tali's shotgun die away, I realize that the gunfire has stopped. Alright, fight's over! I stand fully erect for the first time in what feels like forever and notice that the rest of the squad is moving to regroup around me. Jenny speaks up when once everyone is here.

"Excellent job, everyone," she says, beaming with pride for her squad. Then she looks at me. "Dylan, great job saving that colonist. I don't think any of us saw those geth move up."

"Just doing my best, Shepard," I reply with a grin. Compliments always feel good. Compliments from Jenny feel even better.

"Well, keep it up," she tells me, returning my smile with one of her own. "Now, we need to get to the colony. It looks like we got here just in time." Oh Jenny, you have no idea how right that statement is.

Time to save some colonists.

**A/N: And there we go. The first little firefight on the dock is done. Not really much else to say about this chapter. Like always, I love getting reviews and hearing from my readers. Till next time (whenever that may be), goodbye!**


	11. Even More Fun Fights

**A/N: Hey guys (and girls), I'm back. I'll save all excuses for being late for the end. Here you have Feros part 1.5, the _original_ ending of the first chapter of this mission.**

**Enjoy!**

**Even More Fun Fights**

The stairs leading to the colony await Jenny, Ash, Kaidan, Tali, and me. We've just finished up that first little firefight at the docks, and let me tell you, that was some fight. Almost being exploded by rockets on two separate occasions certainly gets the blood pumping. At least I managed to save that colonist, David. So that's good.

Anywho, our group slowly advances up the stairs, straining our senses, trying to detect any geth. Ash and I are in the front (I get the feeling this is going to be a regular thing…even if I only wear light armor), and we each have our respective assault rifles out.

"Ash, how can you use that piece of crap?" I ask, letting my curiosity finally get the better of me.

"At least it can put rounds down range," she tells me. Oooh, I caught that dig against my Mattock. Can't let that slip by. "And besides, I've been training with this for years; I know all its quirks."

Before I can defend my Mattock's honor, a loud thump echoes throughout the staircase. Shit, this is where those damn hoppers appear. These thing were a bitch in the game…I can only imagine them in real life. Another thump follows quickly after the first, and the hopper springs into view. Before we can even react to its presence, it jumps away.

"What the fuck?" I exclaim, even though I know exactly what it is. I know I've said this before, but I hate having to do this. It makes me feel dirty.

After my startled exclamation, all heads turn towards Tali. She seems to give us a helpless look before answering.

"Why are you looking at me?" she asks, plaintively. "I've never seen a geth like _that_. They certainly weren't around 300 years ago."

"Whatever it was," Jenny says, "it seems fast." She gives Kaidan a look. "Kaidan, think you can catch it in a biotic lift? That should make shooting the thing slightly easier." Awesome idea, Jenny. Just the tactic to use against those fast little fucks.

"I think so, Commander," Kaidan replies.

"Then when that thing comes back, work your magic," she orders. Kaidan nods in acknowledgement.

Our trek up the stairs continues, all of us on high alert. Without any warning, two of the hoppers land right in front of Ash and me. Their lithe bodies and synthetic muscles look shockingly organic. It's kinda creepy, actually. Before I can speculate on their appearance any further, Kaidan lifts one into the air, and the other one jumps away before we can get any shots in. Ehh, at least Kaidan managed to trap one.

Said geth is now floating helplessly in midair. About five seconds of concentrated fire reduce the little bugger to scrap. Man, where's a Staples Easy button when you need one?

"Where did the other one go?" Tali asks, sounding slightly apprehensive. Hmm, that's a good question. I'm kinda wishing we had another biotic right now. Ehh, gotta play the hand you're dealt, right?

Anywho, the hopper still out there is jamming our radar, so we have to rely on our senses alone. It kinda sucks, actually. I'm straining to hear every little sound, trying to anticipate where the lone geth will be. Ash and I once again take the front, slowly advancing up the staircase. I'm quickly learning to hate fighting in stairs; the enemy will almost always have the height advantage, and in the case of stairs that turn, which these do, they have the element of surprise. And with these fucking hoppers, they could be on the damn ceiling for all we know…

…Oh shit. Right after that thought passes through my head, I look up and behind us. Sure enough, that little bugger is hanging right there. Well I'll be damned if that thing gets the jump on us.

I quickly turn, bringing my Mattock to bear. Taking aim, I let loose three shots at the annoying synthetic. Unfortunately, it must have seen _me_ see _it_, and by the time my first shot leaves the muzzle, it's jumping again. None of my shots connect, but the geth made a rather stupid move: It jumped to the wall directly in front of us. I'm actually very surprised that a machine would choose such an idiotic course of action. Well, I'm not complaining.

My shots had alerted the rest of the group to geth's presence, so Kaidan is able to catch the hopper in a lift field. Just like the last one, it's almost painfully easy to kill the geth once it's floating helplessly. Once the thing is dead, we all let out a collective sigh of relief. Those things really are bastards to fight. Well…not once you catch them, but it's hard to do that. Their freaking radar jammer makes it that much harder.

"Nice spot, Dylan," Ash says, giving me an approving look. "How'd you know to look up there?"

"I didn't," I tell her, chuckling. "I just got this weird feeling that it would be behind us. If it can jump on walls, why wouldn't it try to get our six?"

"Well either way, it was a nice save, kid," Kaidan says, giving me a pat on the shoulder.

"Yeah, well, we couldn't have gotten it without your biotics," I remind the lieutenant.

"Can't we all just agree that we did good and keep moving?" Ash asks with a smile.

"I'm with Ash on this one," Jenny says, finally speaking up. "We still need to get to the colony. We have no idea what kind of situation they're in." With that, Jenny steps ahead of Ash and I and takes the lead. A quick glance at my radar shows no enemies in the area, so I take this time to admire the scenery.

…

There's not much to see. Granted, we're in a staircase, but still! Everything is still the same dull grey that everything else on this damn planet seems to be. Like I said last chap—I mean _before_, like I said _before_, I know this is gonna get really old really fast. Now I'm not knocking the Protheans here, but they seem to like boring, repetitive decorations: first Liara's dig site, now Feros.

Anywho, during the course of my internal ramblings, we've ascended the last two flights of stairs and are standing at the entrance to Zhu's hope. The first thing I notice about the colony is the size of it. It's a lot bigger than it was in game; I always thought that Zhu's Hope looked too small to be a viable colony, but I can understand why it was made that way: too many people, and the player becomes confused. Now that this is real life, it makes sense that the colony would be a more realistic size.

The second thing I notice is the sheer devastation. Once again, the game seriously underplayed the destruction of almost the entire colony. Every building shows signs of repeated attacks: bullet holes, craters, missing walls. It really is a mess here. I can see the freighter that seems to be the heart of the settlement, but unlike the game, there are quite a few other pre-fab buildings arranged around it. It's actually similar to a wheel: the freighter is the center axel with paths that lead to buildings circling the downed ship.

God, this is actually starting to remind me of Eden Prime. If the sky turns red and Sovereign suddenly lands somewhere on the planet, I'm out. I would be gone faster than you can say "holy shit." Seriously though, it's a little unnerving. My memories of Eden Prime aren't exactly the best…I mean, I freaking _died_ to get there, and then I almost died again over the course of the mission. Not to mention the Beacon. And I really hope we don't have to kill any colonists; I saw enough of those on Eden Prime to last quite a few lifetimes.

…

Wow, that was a pretty long tangent. What was I talking about? Oh yeah, so Zhu's Hope is pretty beat to shit.

Apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so because we all stop at the entrance. Ash, whom I'm standing next to, has an almost horrified look on her face. If this is hitting her like it is me, she's probably reliving Eden Prime in her head; I still don't think she's gotten over the death of her squad.

"We won't let it happen again," I mutter to her, trying to pull her from her thoughts. Apparently it works because I see her give an almost imperceptible shake of the head.

"What?"

"We won't let this turn into a second Eden Prime."

"You're damn right we won't," Jenny says passionately. Wow, she almost never swears. I guess she's feeling this just as much as Ash and I. "Come on, let's get going." She motions for us to follow as she proceeds into the colony. As we walk along the war-torn street, the various colonists we pass look up at us with a kind of hopelessness. They all look so broken; some even seem afraid of us. I can't imagine what kind of hell these people went through to reach this state. The few people that don't physically recoil from our presence all give us the same message: "Go speak with Fai Dan."

Already I can see the effects of the Thorian. They all seem so lost and empty. It's easy to miss because of all the things these people have been through; on the surface it just looks like shock. Probably why no one notices that anything is wrong. Damn it, I really wish I could warn Jenny, but we aren't even made aware of the Thorian until we get to the ExoGeni building. Oh well, what can you do?

A short trip down the scarred path and through the downed freighter brings us before Fai Dan and that other bitch-chick. I know that Fai Dan isn't that old, but he's got lines on his face like he's an old man. As soon as he sees us, though, those lines seem to melt away; he suddenly looks twenty years younger.

"Commander, thank god they sent someone," the colonist leader says. The man sounds drained, both physically and mentally. Honestly, given the hell he's been put through, I'm not surprised.

"Little late, aren't you?" And there's Bitch-Pants McCrabby. I was kinda hoping that she wouldn't be such a jerk in real life, but no such luck. Everyone in the squad immediately gives her the dirtiest look imaginable. Fai Dan beats all of us to the retort.

"Arcelia!" Fai Dan exclaims, giving Jenny an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Commander. Everyone's been on edge since the…" Suddenly, the classic sounds of nearby geth reach our ears. Immediately, everyone is in full action mode. The next few seconds are a flurry of movement and voices.

"Geth in the tower!"

"Protect the heart of the colony!"

"Squad, move up! We're gonna clear out this tower!" That clear order snaps everyone to attention. Right away, Ash and I are on each side of the door, attempting to push the geth attack back. There's no finesse to this, just sending round after round down range. Enemy rounds impact my shields, but I ignore it for the time being; we _need_ to push those damn synthetics back, get some breathing room.

My omni-tool pings, letting me know that I'm at 25% shields. Reluctantly, I pull back behind the corner. Ash is still there spewing fire into the geth lines. It seems she still has a good bit of her shields left; though, I suppose it makes sense, what with her having heavier armor. Finally, my own shields recharge, and I lean around the corner to continue the onslaught. Upon poking my head around, however, I notice only one geth remaining. Four shots from my Mattock remedy that.

"Clear," I announce, seeing no more hostiles at the moment. Ash echoes my report.

"Alright guys, good job pushing them back," Jenny says. "Now we need to go find out where they came from." With that, she starts running down the small corridor that leads to more stairs. Reaching the bottom, we can hear gunshots above us. Oh shit, those colonists up there! We gotta save them! Without giving any further thought, I start sprinting up the steps two at a time. I pass Jenny and reach the top in short order.

It's not a pretty sight.

A single colonist is still standing, er…kneeling, with two bodies lying next to him. Somewhat luckily, I don't have time to assimilate this because there are still two geth up here with a clear shot at this position. I quickly open up my omni-tool, initiating an Overload and sending it at the geth on the left. It starts to sputter and spasm, giving me time to give its buddy a few non-standard holes. When that one dies, I turn back to the geth on the ground and put two rounds into its head.

By this time, the rest of the squad has caught up and is giving attention to the sole surviving colonist. I turn back towards the man and catch a quick glimpse of the corpses on the ground. I avert my eyes as fast as I can, trying my damndest not to throw up.

God damn it! Why couldn't I save them? Those lifeless bodies, those cold, dead eyes, those—

No! I can't let myself fall into the pit of despair. I need to be strong, so this will never happen again. I won't let it. Straightening with renewed purpose, I look at Jenny, who's looking at me. We make eye contact, and she simply nods. With that, she motions for us to move out. The colonist has been sent back to Zhu's Hope. The bodies will be retrieved as soon as possible.

A short trip brings us to the final room we need to clear. Just like everything else on Feros so far, it's bigger than it was portrayed in the game. It has the same terraced layout: higher level on the left. However, the levels are much more uneven. The higher terrace must be a good twelve feet higher than the lower, and it has a sheer wall, not a gently sloping incline. I get the feeling that someone's gonna be going up there. Besides that glaring difference, the other main discrepancy is just the size. This could be one big firefight.

"That terrace looks like it could either be a problem or an advantage," I comment, trying to provide some tactical insight. "It would probably be a good idea to get maybe two of us up there."

"Not a bad idea, Dylan," Jenny replies. Then she smirks. Oh no. "Since it was your idea, you'll provide the muscle on that level." I sigh quietly. How did I know this would happen? "I'll go up with you to provide sniper support." At that, I perk up a little. Hmm, wasn't expecting Jenny to volunteer to go up there.

"Sounds good, Shepard," I tell her.

"Kaidan," she says, turning her attention to the lieutenant, "you're in charge down on this end. You know what to do."

"Aye, ma'am."

"Then let's get to it," Jenny says. She and I make our way over to the wall; there aren't even any ladders around here! Guess we do this the hard way. I just look up the sheer face of the wall, sighing quietly.

"So how do you want to do this, Shepard?" I ask, looking at her. "You want up first, or should I?"

"You give me a boost up; you're taller than I am," she answers. "Once I'm up, I'll lean back over the edge and help pull you up." I give her a dubious look upon hearing that. I mean, I know she's a freaking N7, but I still have my doubts. She sees my look and smiles in return. "Trust me."

"I hate it when people say that," I mutter, getting into position at the base of the wall. She just laughs before putting one armored boot into my interlocked fingers. Well, here we go.

I start to lift up, my muscles (what little there are) already straining. I was never the strongest guy around, I'm still not, and trying to lift a fully armored adult is _hard_. Suddenly, I feel a pressure on my shoulder, and the weight in my hands lessens. She freaking stepped on my shoulder! Of course, it's better than trying to lift all I-don't-know-how-many-pounds with just my arms, but there's principle involved!

Before I can complain about the sudden intrusion on my shoulder, the weight is completely lifted. Free from my burden, I look up to see Jenny lifting herself onto the ledge. She disappears, only to reappear with an outstretched hand. Guess now it's my turn. Judging the distance, I figure I have to jump about three feet. Hmm…that's pushing what I can do. Oh well, might as well give it a go.

Getting a small running start, I push off the ground with all the strength my legs can muster.

I miss. By about three inches. Fuck.

Ok, time for take two. This time, I actually feel my fingers brush against Jenny's. Damn, so close! On take three, I try adding a little wall run.

It didn't work.

As I'm getting ready for my fourth attempt, I suddenly feel an odd sensation. Why do I feel like I'm on a roller coaster with a double dip?

…

Why am I off the ground?

…

What the fuck is going on?

Before I can panic any further, I notice Jenny enter my field of view. I must have some god awful look on my face because I can see her attempt to repress her laughter. Apparently her attempts fail because she begins laughing hysterically. At least she manages to pull me onto solid ground while doing so. I simply lie on the ground for a while, taking deep breaths to calm myself down. With my composure finally back, I look over the edge of the terrace to see Kaidan standing there with a smug look on his face.

Did that bastard just Lift me? I think he Lifted me! That's not cool, man! You can't just go around biotic-ing people around without their permission!

Though, now that I think about it, it was kinda cool. Not that I want to do it again anytime soon: It was still freaky as hell.

Anywho, at least I'm up, and not a moment too soon. As soon as I regain my footing, I hear a crashing sound accompanied by some classic geth sputtering. Time for one hell of a fight.

Looking around this upper terrace, I notice one particular fact: there's no cover. At all. No chest high walls, no conveniently placed crates capable of withstanding numerous bullets, no random rock outcroppings. It's just flat. Damn. Hopefully no geth get up here. Jenny's already set up for sniping and is bringing a rain of death on those poor geth. Every loud report is accompanied by a geth falling over with its head missing. You know…I'm starting to think she might be better than Garrus.

So there's not much for me to do up here. There aren't any enemies on this level. Guess I might as well start firing down on the geth below. Because of my elevated position, I try to pick out geth that would be out of sight for the ground team. Honestly, I'm not even trying to kill any of them; as long as I get them out of cover, the guys down there can take care of them. That mini-squad is actually working out pretty well. Kaidan and Ash make a devastating team: Kaidan lifts with biotics, Ash perforates with bullets. Meanwhile, Tali simply bombards the synthetics with various tech attacks. Add to that Jenny's ridiculous shooting and my cover-busting and these geth are getting slaughtered.

The massacre lasts for a full ten minutes. _Ten minutes_! That's a long time to be shooting at geth. I have no idea where they're coming from; unlike the game, there's no dropship hovering over a hole in the roof. They just keep pouring in from various locations. Finally, the onslaught ends. The last geth falls with an electronic cry.

Zhu's Hope is safe.

For now.

**A/N: So there's part one done. Sorry for all of the late updates recently: life hasn't been giving me very much time to write. So I will update as fast as I can, but these kinds of delays might become common. **

**Right now, I want to thank all of my anonymous reviewers. I really wish you guys would either sign in or get an account; I love hearing from you guys (all my reviewers) and I also love being able to respond to your comments. To Gavin A. Branson, thank you for all your especially wonderful reviews. You have earned every virtual cookie you have claimed.**

**Anywho, that's it for now. I look forward to reading all of your (hopefully) wonderful reviews. Ta ta!**


	12. Did You Finish Those Errands?

**A/N: Well, I'm back! Got some more Feros fun this chapter, as well as some other good schtuff. Enjoy!**

**Did You Finish Those Errands?**

Back at the colony, some of the colonists' apprehension of us seems to have disappeared. I guess saving their asses from a rather large geth attack will earn you some trust. Even Bitch-Pants is looking less crabby. Seeing our group re-enter the colony, Fai Dan waves us over. Even from a distance, I can see that a lot of the stress has left his being.

"Thank you, Commander," he says, looking at Jenny as we approach. "You secured the tower and saved the colony." He even sounds less stressed.

"A pleasure, Fai Dan," Jenny replies with a smile.

"Pfft, you weren't the one getting lifted by biotic-boy over there," I mutter, gesturing to Kaidan. He at least has the good grace to look embarrassed. Then he laughs. Ash decides to join in, and Jenny just keeps smiling. Tali just looks confused.

"Yeah, well those geth may be slowed, but they'll be back soon." And there's Bitch-Pants McCrabby. Usually I'm fine with pessimism, but she takes it to an annoying level. Or maybe I just don't like her…

"Don't worry, we'll make sure the colony's safe," Jenny assures Fai Dan and Bitch-Pants. "Though that would be easier if we knew why the geth were attacking."

"Yeah, because the geth informed us before they started assaulting us," mutters Ms. McCrabby, just loud enough for us to hear. As soon as the words leave her mouth, Jenny turns her full attention to the impudent guard. For about ten seconds, Jenny unleashes upon the other woman one of the coldest stares I have ever had the displeasure of witnessing. I'm honestly surprised that frost doesn't form.

"Well then, I think we're done here," Jenny replies suddenly, her voice just as cold as her eyes. I think this is scarier than her intimidating command voice. With that simple statement, she pulls an about face and walks away. Ash, Kaidan, Tali, and I are left standing here, looking just as shocked as Fai Dan and Bitch-Pants. Eventually, the spell is broken, and the four of us look at each other. With small nods, we all turn and follow Jenny.

"Commander, wait!" we hear Fai Dan yell. "Please forgive Arelia! The colony needs you!" At that statement, Jenny stops dead.

"Then get your people in line. I can't help this colony unless you help me too."

"I promise you, Commander, no one else shares Arcelia's view point," the colonist leader says, giving said bitch a scornful glare. Then he turns back to Jenny "Commander, without your help, this colony will die. We need you."

Jenny returns his beseeching stare with a look of her own that seems to view his very soul.

"What needs to be done to make Zhu's Hope safe?" Everyone breaths a collective sigh of relief at Jenny's question. I honestly thought she might just walk away. Can you imagine how much that would fuck up canon? That would be just as big as me being here and getting the Vision, or Ian being here.

I wonder what made Jenny so…bipolar…all of the sudden. I've never seen that coldness in her eyes. I'm kinda worried. I wonder if…

Oh shit. Oh god. We might be in for a rough mission.

Fai Dan's voice brings me back to the situation at hand. "If you and your team can cross the skybridge and take out the geth base in the ExoGeni building, we can get to work getting the colony operational again." Jenny's eyes lose some of their coldness upon hearing this. Jenny Paragon mode, activate!

"What do you mean 'get the colony operational?'" she asks. "Maybe we can help out." I sigh quietly. Sometimes her infallible paragon-ness is completely insufferable. Oh well, she wouldn't be Jenny without that trait.

"Really, Commander? Well, we have a shortage of food, water, and power, and there's a geth transmitter somewhere in the lower levels of the tower."

"I'll see what I can do," Jenny replies.

"Thank you, Commander, for everything." With that, the five of us wander away to a semi-secluded place. When we're all gathered, Jenny addresses us.

"Ok guys, obviously the colony needs help," she starts. Nods from all of us prompt her to continue. "For the sake of efficiency, I say that two of you stay here to help out the colonists while the other two accompany me to the ExoGeni building. Any comments, concerns?"

"I like the idea of killing two birds with one stone," I comment, "but I don't think three people are enough to take a geth stronghold."

"I'm with Dylan on this, Skipper," Ash adds. "If you're assaulting the geth's main base, you need a full squad." Jenny looks between Ash and me for a few seconds.

"Kaidan, Tali, what are your thoughts about this?" she suddenly asks, turning her gaze on said people.

"I'd have to agree with Dylan and the Chief," Kaidan answers. "We shouldn't risk anyone trying to do things _fast_ instead of _right_." Tali just nods in agreement. Jenny once again just stares at everyone for a moment, collecting her thoughts. Suddenly, she puts two fingers on the side of her helmet, keying up the radio.

"Shore party to Normandy, do you copy? Joker?" We can all hear a faint crash on the other end of the line.

"Ah! Holy crap—I mean yes Commander?" the helmsman replies. I really don't want to know what we just interrupted. "Is everything all right out there?"

"Just peachy, Joker. Now get a hold of Liara and Ian and tell them to suit up and meet us at the colony."

"Roger that, Commander," Joker replies. Then he seems to hesitate before speaking again. "Are you sure everything's all right?"

"We're fine, Joker. We just need a little more firepower out here."

"Copy that. They'll be out in fifteen minutes." With that, the line goes dead. Everyone looks at Jenny, waiting for her to explain her plan.

"Ash, you and Dylan are staying here to help the colony back on its feet," she starts. Really? I get errand duty? Fuuuuuck, these were some of the most annoying missions in the whole damn game. Damn, and I won't learn about the Thorian, so I'll have to play ignorant about that even longer. "Kaidan, Tali, Ian, Liara, and I will cross the skybridge and take out the geth base."

"Might I inquire as to why Ash and I were chosen to help the colony?" I ask, trying not to sound like I'm whining. Mostly I'm just curious.

"The colonists recognize you already, Ash is an Alliance marine, you have at least basic tech skills, and, most importantly, you're both human," Jenny answers without any hesitation. Damn, she put some though into that.

"Sounds good to me," I tell her, looking at Ash. She nods her approval. "So I guess we have fifteen minutes to kill."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Liara and Ian show up.

"You're late," I tell them with a smile.

"It was my fault," Liara says, softly. "This was my first time putting my armor on. It took me longer than expected to get it fitted properly."

"Not a problem," Jenny reassures the shy asari. "But now that you're here, we need to get going. Ash, when you and Dylan are done running those errands for the colony, come back here and defend them from any more geth attacks." Oh, that's gonna be the least of our worries once we get back here. I have no idea when the Thorian takes over, so I'm gonna be uber-paranoid the whole time.

"Aye aye, Skipper. Good luck," Ash says.

"Have fun killing geth," I call out as they're leaving. When they get out of sight, I sigh.

"Oh cheer up, Dylan," Ash says, sounding all too chipper at the moment. "Knowing our luck, there'll be plenty of geth for us to kill."

"Yeah, you got that right," I say. You have no idea how right. "So who do we see about these errands?"

"Why don't we just ask Fai Dan?"

…

Now why didn't I think of that? Probably because I already know who to see.

"Yeah…that should work," I say with a grin. "After you, m'lady." That earns me a nice slap to the shoulder. I playfully rub it, pretending to be hurt.

"C'mon you big baby, let's go find Fai Dan." With that, she proceeds back into the heart of the colony. Approaching Fai Dan again, he seems surprised, and relieved, to see us.

"Dare I hope that you're here to help the colony?" he asks as we approach.

"Got it in one," I tell him with a smile. The guy really needs some good news. "Dylan ***** and Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams at your service."

"Thank the Maker." Hey, this isn't Dragon Age. "Maybe with your help, this colony can work again."

"So what needs done?" Ash asks, getting to the heart of the problem.

"We need food, water, and power. There's also a geth transmitter down in the lower levels that should be destroyed."

"So how do we go about finding all this stuff?" I ask, knowing full well that we need to talk to a different person for every freaking task. That's just annoying.

"For the food, there's an alpha varren in the tunnels; kill him and we can send in hunting parties for the rest of the varren. The water is simply a matter of flipping a few valves, and there should be something down there to scavenge power cells from. If you can do all of that and take care of the transmitter, we can do the rest."

…

Holy shit. Did we just get every mission straight from Fai Dan? Have I somehow fallen into a _different_ universe? One where Fai Dan actually knows what the fuck is going on in his colony? I'm able to school my expression before anyone can comment on the incredulous look I probably had.

"Thanks for the info, Fai Dan," Ash says, picking after I fell silent.

"No, thank you. Both of you."

* * *

"So, uhh…where are these things we're supposed to be doing?" I ask, looking around us in confusion. We entered the lower levels about five minutes ago, but the area is, once again, _nothing_ like it was in the game. Instead of a long, narrow walkway at the bottom of the stairs, we entered into a large, open room. There's a single door in every wall, and the far wall has some pipes running out of it. I'm guessing that's where the valves are.

"Fai Dan never actually said," Ash answers. "He just said that everything was in the lower levels. So I'm gonna guess that one, if not all, of these doors leads to something."

"Well then let's get to it," I say, starting to walk towards the door on our right. Ash's footsteps quickly follow mine. Approaching the door, we take positions on either side: Ash's on the left and I'm on the right. Our eyes lock, and she gives a small nod. With that, I slam on the door panel, causing the door to open with a hydraulic hiss.

Ash charges into the room, her Lancer I at the ready. I hurry inside, right on her heels. As I scan the area, I notice that we're in a long narrow hallway: not unlike I was expecting to find down here in the first place. Wait a second…this looks familiar.

…

Oh shit.

I quickly look up and in front. Yupp, there are those two fucking rocket troopers.

Aiming right at Ash.

Pulling the trigger.

Oh fuck.

Quicker than I thought possible, I close the few feet that separate us, repeating what I did to David earlier today. And once again, I feel the heat of the fucking rocket pass right over me. I fucking _hate _fucking _rocket troopers_!

Not even bothering to get off the ground, I simply sit up, taking aim at those two little bastards. Four of the fastest shots I've ever pulled off rip right through the geth that shot the rocket, and four more soon end the existence of the other.

I breathe a huge sigh of relief as I realize how close that was. Then my eyes fall on a rather irate Gunnery Chief still on the ground. Essentially being straddled. By me.

…

Well…this is awkward.

"So, uhh…come here often?" I ask with an embarrassed grin, trying to make this situation a little less uncomfortable.

"Dylan, just get off of me." I hastily comply. That tone of voice isn't one to be messed with. Upon standing, I offer a hand to help Ash up. Once she's on her feet, an awkward silence ensues.

"So I think that's…three?…yeah, three times I've saved your life now," I say, trying to break the silence. I get a cold stare for my troubles. "Alright, alright. Let's just keep moving." Ash seems all too happy to comply.

We quickly make our way down the narrow corridor, ready for anything after that near-miss. If memory serves, there should be two krogan…warlords, I think…at the end of the tunnel. I get the feeling that this will _not_ be a fun fight. Trying to fight krogan in a confined environment does not an easy fight make. We hear low voices—almost growls, actually—as we approach the end of the hall. Ash puts a finger to her lips and motions to the grenades on her belt. Apparently she's identified the voices as krogan and thinks that grenades that are probably the best option. I'm inclined to agree.

I take one of my three grenades off my belt, ready to round the corner that we've reached. This time, a nod from Ash sets us in motion.

(_The following events take place in a twenty second time frame._)

We quickly round the corner and see not two, not three, but _four fucking krogan_ standing there by a table. Mentally cursing any gods that might be listening, I chuck my grenade into the mass of krogan just standing around. At the same time, Ash throws her own explosive into the mess. Upon hearing a thump at their feet, the krogan look down to see two grenades just sitting there. Apparently they can't comprehend the situation because they just stand there, looking at them. They explode.

Immediately after the grenades go boom, Ash and I simply unload into the smoke. After the echoes of the explosion die away, I can hear three distinct roars erupt from the haze. Ash and I keep up an unrelenting fire. Thankfully, one of the roars turns into a broken cry and slowly peters out. So now we have two krogan probably in the middle of a blood-rage so intense that their (possible) unborn children will feel it.

Suddenly, two enormous shapes come screaming out of the cloud of dust: one at me, one at Ash. I think we're fucked. I manage to get one shot off before I'm suddenly crushed against a wall with no air in my lungs. I would gasp for breath, but there's a few hundred pounds of force slowly crushing my torso.

Shit shit shit, this isn't good. I'm really glad that the lack of air is distracting me from the broken ribs I probably have. The damn lizard isn't even doing anything; he's just slowly crushing me. I need a way out of this situation, and fast. And suddenly Zaeed's one _useful_ story jumps into my head: _Get a knife stuck in the right way, and you can pop that plate clean off. Makes 'em go crazy_. And thanking any gods I may have cursed earlier, I reach down to the big-ass knife sheathed at my side. Using what little strength I have left, I manage to get the Bowie knife drawn. By some miracle, the arm currently wielding the knife is relatively free: meaning I can raise it enough to actually stab the damn beast. One final burst of energy drives the blade into the krogan's skull.

Unfortunately, I seem to have missed the plate. Fuck. But luckily, the sudden appearance of a knife in his skull causes the krogan to recoil, letting me fall to the ground and, more importantly, _breathe_. But alas! I have no time to enjoy my respite because I still have an enraged krogan in front of me. Thankfully (noticing a theme here?) my Carnifex is still at my waist, so I draw the new-age hand cannon and start squeezing off rounds as fast as I can. The warlord's shields still haven't fully recharged from the grenade—not that he had great shields to start—so two shots break through the barriers.

With my shots still ripping into his flesh, Herr Großmann slowly pulls my now useless knife out of his skull, giving it a disdainful look. Then his gaze turns towards me. I'm fucked unless I get lucky with my next few shots.

All of a sudden, an ungodly loud boom sounds in the room, and a portion of the krogan's hump mysteriously disappears. Said krogan starts to turn around, trying to find whatever just caused his injury. He gets halfway there before his whole head vanishes.

Oh yeah, and most of in ends up on me. Eww…I don't think "nasty" covers this. The krogan's body falls to the ground, revealing a shotgun-wielding Ash. Upon seeing me sitting against the wall, she gets an unbelievably huge grin.

"Well, I'd say that makes up for earlier," she says, sounding all too smug.

"I'm still up by two," I retort. Then I groan as pain seems to erupt throughout my entire torso. Closing my eyes from the pain, I hear Ash gasp before she runs to my side.

"Holy shit, Dylan! What happened?" As she asks this, she begins to remove the chest piece of my armor. I'm guessing she has at least _some_ first-aid training, so I'm just fine with her poking around.

"I think I just hugged a freight train," I moan.

"I don't doubt that," she replies. "Luckily for you, nothing broke the skin, and I don't think any ribs are broken either."

"Well, that's some good news at least."

"Yeah, but you're gonna be black and blue later. I'll let you rest for a bit, but then we need to get back to work."

"Beautiful and a slave driver." Wait…what did I just say?

"What?" Apparently she shares my sentiments.

"Uhh, so…how'd you manage to take out your krogan so fast?" I ask, trying to change the subject as fast as possible.

"It's called a shotgun, now what's this about me being beautiful?" Damn, she just couldn't let that go.

"I, uhh…well you see…it's uhh…yeah." After my admittedly very stupid mumbling, Ash just stares right at me. She has a sort of bemused look on her face that probably mirrors my own.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" she asks, deliberately spacing out each word, giving extra emphasis to her question. I just sigh. Guess there's nowhere to go but forward. So now it's my turn to stare right into her striking brown eyes.

"Yes Ash, I do. 'The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.' Ash, you're one of the most beautiful people I've ever met." After I fall silent, still staring into her eyes, she remains quiet. I don't think I've ever seen her speechless like this before. I'm not quite sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

"We'll…we'll talk about this later. Back on the Normandy. Right now, we need to finish the mission," she says after about ten seconds of silence. Something in her tone sounds…different. I can't quite place my finger on it. She then proceeds to help me back into my armor. Stopping only long enough for me to grab my Mattock and Bowie knife, we continue with the mission.

* * *

Almost an hour later, the two of us come stumbling out of the lower levels. The rest of our menial tasks were much easier than the first one. The room with the water valves only had about three geth in total, and the varren area was much less troublesome than it could have been. Though I did earn a nice armor scar from one of those beasts: a big ol' gash in my helmet, starting just above my right eye and running diagonally to below my left one. Granted, there's now a scratch on my visor, but I can still see just fine.

Anywho, we enter Zhu's Hope, heading straight for Fai Dan. He sees us approaching and looks even more relieved than he did before.

"Everything's done, Fai Dan. The water's back on, we killed the alpha varren, and the geth transmitter is destroyed," Ash tells him, sounding just as relieved as Fai Dan looks.

"And here's a few power cells we picked up," I add, handing said items to the colonist leader.

"Thank you both so much," he says, relief seeming to flood every fiber of his being. "Maybe we can survive this mess after all."

"Well, it was our pleasure," Ash says. "We're going to start patrolling the perimeter of the colony, make sure no more geth show up."

"Once again, thank you," Fai Dan says as we walk away. As ticked as I am not being able to hit the ExoGeni building, I really am glad I could help these poor colonists. And now that we're done with all of that, we should probably report back in to Jenny.

I lift my hand to the side of my helmet, activating the radio. "Shepard, do you copy? This is Dylan. Do you copy, Shepard?" I'm met with nothing but static. Oh yeah, the geth barrier messes with the comm. I wonder what we should—

—A shot echoes throughout the colony.

Followed by a scream.

Fuck.

**A/N: Ooo, a cliffhanger. I haven't done that since chapter one I think. I thought it was necessary.**

**So yeah, the cat's out of the bag. Dylan's admitted his feelings towards Ash**. **Was that expected? Or did some of you think I was going elsewhere with the romance? Either way, we'll be seeing more of that, like Ash said, when we get back on the Normandy.**

**On a totally different (and more depressing) note, I think I've hit my stride: a chapter every other week. I'm sorry it has to be like that, but like I've said before, real life takes precedence**. **So...yeah.**

**Anywho, thanks for reading (and hopefully reviewing!), and I'll see all of you again in about two weeks! Tschüss!**


	13. Fucking Zombies

**A/N: Hey guys (and girls)! I'm back earlier than expected. So I'll save all the other stuff for after the chapter. Enjoy!**

**Fucking Zombies**

"What the fuck was that?" I yell, ducking down in case any of those shots were aimed at us.

"That was a gunshot," Ash says. Well duh, even I knew that. "It sounded like it came from where Fai Dan was. We've gotta go check it out."

"You're right. It might be a geth attack." Fuck, fuck, fuck. This is _not_ a good idea. I know full well this probably isn't a geth attack. The colonists are probably starting to get Thorianized. But I can't _tell_ her that. So now I have to play stupid (again) and _suggest_ that we walk into what is most likely a trap. I've done some stupid things before, but this takes the cake by far.

"Well then let's get going," Ash says, starting to move back into the colony. I have no choice but to follow her. This is gonna get ugly.

Nothing looks different as we enter the colony. That in itself is weird. I mean, a gun was just shot, and these people have the same bored faces as they did earlier. I comment on this to Ash.

"Yeah, something seems off. These people are entirely too calm right now. Keep your guard up," she warns.

"I never put it down," I mutter, tightening my grip on my Mattock.

We finally approach Fai Dan, who's standing at the entrance to the rest of the tower with a pistol in his hand. Surprisingly, Arcelia isn't by his side. Actually, there aren't any colonists around that I can see. I take it upon myself to watch our back while Ash talks with Fai Dan.

"What happened here Fai Dan?" she asks.

"Oh, nothing, nothing. I was just watching the entrance and thought I saw a geth," the colonist leader replies. Hmm, his voice sounds…off. It doesn't seem to have that same spark it had when we got back a few minutes ago. "I took a shot, but it turns out I was seeing things." Wow. That actually sounds plausible. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.

Suddenly, another shot rings out at the other end of the colony. I'm already facing that way, and Ash turns toward the sound out of reflex. Wait…shit!

I turn around to see Fai Dan still standing there, aiming the pistol right at the back of Ash's head. Oh no you don't, you little bugger. He apparently noticed me tuning around because the pistol is now pointing right at my left eye; I can actually see down the barrel. Using reflexes I didn't know I had, I slap the pistol up into the air right before he pulls the trigger. Hearing yet another gunshot, Ash turns around in time to see me deliver a right hook to Fai Dan's face. The man staggers back from the impact, leaving him open to another solid punch to the face.

That puts the poor guy right on his ass. He drops the pistol, and Ash quickly snatches it up off the ground. He's still conscious and trying to get up, so I need to find some way to incapacitate him. This is quite a conundrum. The way I see it, I have four options: kill him, shoot him to incapacitate him, tie him up, or knock him unconscious. I'd rather not kill him, I'd rather not shoot him _at all_, and I don't have anything to tie him up with. I guess that leaves me with knocking him out. But how to do that while hurting him as little as possible? Kick him in the head? The balls? I think a headshot might work better than a ballshot. I walk over to Fai Dan, who's still lying on the ground, and give him the boot. I'm careful not to kick him _too_ hard.

Apparently I got the force right because he goes limp immediately. He's gonna have a _hell_ of a headache when he wakes up. But at least he can't kill himself now. All of that happened in less than five seconds.

"There's some weird shit going on," Ash says. "Why would Fai Dan try to kill me?"

"I have no idea," I lie. "But I get the feeling that all the other colonists are gonna be acting the same way. This wasn't an isolated incident."

"And if the colonists start shooting at us?" she asks, giving me a look. "What then?"

"I don't know, Ash," I say, giving a sigh in the process. "We can't kill them."

"That's a last resort. For now, if we can get close to them, try knocking them out." Now she gets a haggard look on her face. "If we can't do that, we'll have to shoot them. If _at all possible_, shoot to injure: knees, shoulders, anywhere on the extremities. Beyond that, we just have to pray that they all make it."

Now it's my turn to look fatigued. This is something I'm not looking forward to. "So should we hole up somewhere and let them come to us, or should we actively seek them out?" I ask, trying to push some awful thoughts out of my head. "I vote for holing up."

"Agreed. Why don't we clear out this building and set up," she says, gesturing to the building right next to the entrance to the rest of the tower.

"Good idea. That's where the squad should enter when they get back."

"Then let's get to it." With that, we both enter the small building. The door opens to a small hallway with four doors branching off from it. I take the right two, and Ash takes the left two. The first set is empty. The second…not so much.

As I open the door, a shot immediately whizzes by my face. Well that's not good. Without waiting for another shot, I charge into the room, seeing a single man against the back wall, trembling. For some reason, he doesn't seem inclined to shoot again. We just stare at each other for a second, not saying a word. Ash, who must have heard the shot, comes running in, but I stop her before she does something that angers the man.

"P…pl…pl…please…please just…just leave. Please. I…I don't want to hurt anybody," the man stutters. His voice is trembling as much as his body. "It's…it's telling me to…to…kill you. But…but I don't want to."

"Sir, what's going on here?" I ask in my most soothing voice. "What's telling you to kill us?"

"It's the…the…the Tho—AHHH!" His scream echoes throughout the small building. A look of unimaginable pain crosses his face, and he drops the pistol in favor of clutching his head. Ash uses this opportunity to pick up the gun, and I take the time to give him a smart rap across the face. The poor guy goes out like a light.

"Do you have any idea what any of that was about?" I ask, giving Ash a perplexed look.

"Not a clue."

"Well then…I'm guessing this building is secure?"

"Yeah. My last room was empty."

"Good. So there's only one way into this building?"

"Yep. It's a pretty secure location."

"Then why don't we set up and see if the radio works again," I suggest. Ash just nods, and we take up positions by the door. Both of us are set up inside the first room we cleared, able to lean out from behind the open door. Now that we're ready for any possible attacks, Ash tabs the radio.

"Normandy, do you copy? This is Chief Williams. Joker, you there?"

"Oh, thank god, Ash. I've been trying to ping the commander for twenty minutes," Joker says over the comm. Poor guy sounds worried half to death. "We've got a few colonists outside the airlock banging on the door. Something's messed up."

"Just sit tight, Joker," Ash tells the distressed pilot. "The colonists aren't in their right minds. They can't do any real damage anyway."

"Don't have to tell me twice. How are you and Dylan doing?"

"Oh, we're just _dandy_, Joker," I say, butting my way into the conversation. "Y'know, considering we're stuck in a building surrounded by crazy colonists. I might even spend my next shore leave like this." Ash is giving me one of those "what the hell are you doing, shut the fuck up" looks, so I stop talking.

"Just keep trying to reach Shepard," Ash tells Joker. "We'll sit tight and stay alive."

"Whatever you say, Chief. Joker out." He disconnects, and the radio clicks off. Then Ash turns her full attention on me.

"What the hell was that?" she asks, sounding a little miffed.

"I'm sorry," I begin, "I get sarcastic when I'm scared shitless."

"Well, take it easy. We don't need those comments right now."

"Yes ma'am," I say, adding a playfully ashamed tone. She just gives me a long look before turning her attention back to the door.

* * *

Ten minutes later, we hear the front door whoosh open, and three colonists enter, pistols raised. The sudden entrance takes us off guard, but that fact probably saves the colonists' lives. They're halfway to our position before they start shooting. At this point, they're close enough for us to be able to rush them. Ash and I lock eyes and nod. Then we start sprinting forward.

The colonists' shots impact harmlessly against my shields as I quickly cover the distance that separates us. I close the distance and land a punch on the closest colonist. He just drops. That seemed too easy. Though aren't they in a weakened state because of the Thorian's influence? Maybe that's it.

The second colonist throws a very slow and clumsy punch at me which I dodge easily. As the colonist turns to try to land another hit, Ash's fist impacts the side of his head. Just like all the rest, he goes limp immediately.

"Well that was easy," I say, looking at the three unconscious forms at our feet.

"Yeah…yeah it was," Ash, says, sounding a little surprised. "Let's get these three with our other guest."

"Sounds like a plan, ma'am." We each take one of the limp forms and carry them to the back right room where we kept our other unconscious friend. I come back to grab the final colonist. Right after I drop—I mean gently lay down the last colonist, I hear a strangled gurgle coming from the direction of the door.

I turn around to see a sight that chills my blood well past freezing.

"ASH!"*

_*Let me preface what is about to happen with this: I have only recently expressed my attraction towards Ash. My mind is still thinking about all of the possibilities that there are for this situation. Now, imagine my dismay at seeing said gunnery chief lying motionless on the floor with about five Thorian creepers hunched over her._

_I think you can understand what my reaction is._

I don't even remember getting to Ash's side. All I know now is that I'm crouching next to her still form, completely ignoring the dead creepers all around me. She's lying on her side with her back facing toward me. Nothing looks injured on her back, so I gently roll her over, revealing a rather sickening sight. It takes all my willpower to keep my breakfast down.

About a quarter of her chest plate is covered is splotches.

The armor's been eaten through.

Shit shit shit, this isn't good. This is very bad. What the fuck do I do? The only explanation I have is that the creepers' acid burned through her armor. Not knowing anything better to do, I check to see if she's got a pulse…yep, it's still there. And I can see her chest rise and fall, so she's breathing too. With that all done, I work to get her chest plate off as quickly as I can while trying to do as little damage as possible. The armor comes off easily enough, but I kinda wish it hadn't.

The acid ate right through the elasticized undersuit, revealing awful burn marks all over her torso. Fuck fuck fuck, this is a hell of a lot worse than I thought it would be. It looks like the acid ate right through a lot of her suit's internal systems: the medical interface being the only one I care about at the moment. Shit, these wounds need medi-gel.

I quickly grab what little medi-gel I have and slather it all over the various wounds. The miracle salve's numbing properties seem to have an instant effect because her body suddenly relaxes. I didn't even notice that she was tensed up. Her breathing has returned to a somewhat normal level, as has her pulse. There's really not much else I can do for her at the moment, so I carefully move her into the room across from our make-shift little prison. Once she's safely tucked away, I take up a position right outside that room, ready for any possible intrusion. I won't be caught unawares again.

Now that she's safe, I think I should tell Joker what happened.

"Normandy, do you copy? This is Dylan," I say over the radio.

"Right here, Dylan. What's going on out there?"

"Some shit hit the fan, Joker. Ash is down."

"Shit! Really? Is she ok?"

"I think she's…stable. I should be able to hold this position alone, but if you ever get through to Shepard, let her know what happened."

"Yeah, I can do that," the pilot responds. "You sure you're gonna be ok alone out there?"

"So nice to know you care, Joker. I'll be fine. We found a good spot. Tell Shepard we're in the first house on the right when she enters the colony."

"Can do. Anything else you'd like to add?" he asks, sounding a bit sarcastic. Time to roll with it.

"Uhh, yeah. Could I get a double cheeseburger, no pickles or mustard, and a large drink?"

"If you can stop these crazy colonists, I'll get you anything you want."

"Anything?"

He pauses for a few seconds before answering. "Joker out." And the radio clicks off. Aww, he's no fun. Oh well, time to defend this god-forsaken house.

Another twenty minutes pass by with a few more waves of creepers trying to break through. They never get past the first set of rooms. During one of the intermissions between waves, I hear movement in Ash's room. Scared of the possibilities, I quickly open the door and enter the room. I'm welcomed by a much better sight than I was expecting: Ash is starting to move a little. I'm by her side before I can even think.

"Ash," I say quietly. "Ash, can you hear me?" I get a groan as a response. "Just take it easy, Ash. You're gonna be alright." Another groan follows my attempts at comforting words.

"Dylan?" she mutters, weakly. She actually opens her eyes a little.

"Yeah, Ash, it's me."

"What the hell happened?"

"You got attacked by these…things. They spit acid. You apparently took a pretty big hit to the chest. Ate right through your armor and burned the skin. I got medi-gel on it, so there shouldn't be much pain. How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," she replies, giving a weak, rueful laugh. "And I'm tired."

"Then go back to sleep. I'll defend the door."

"Thanks, Dylan. I owe you one."

"Actually, I think you're back up to three," I say, giving a small grin.

"Shut up," she says with another small laugh before closing her eyes. It might just be me, but she seems a little more peaceful.

Well, I'd better get back to guarding the door.

* * *

Another half hour passes with no activity. I'm actually getting a little bored. And all this inactivity is letting my muscles tighten up. I really hope Jenny gets here soon, or I won't be able to move. Suddenly, I hear a knock on the front door.

Well that's odd. I know a creeper wouldn't bother with knocking, and I'm pretty sure the colonists don't have enough brain power to know _how_ to knock. Might as well see who it is.

"Who is it?" I ask in a sing-songy voice.

"It's the freaking Tooth Fairy, now open up!" And there's Ian. I actually missed the little Brit. He's a pretty chill dude.

"The door's not locked, you know," I yell back. There's about a five second pause before the door opens. Jenny is the first one into the building, and she's in full commander mode. Her stride is filled with purpose and she has a set look on her face.

"Where's Ash?" she asks, her voice full of pure command. I think rocks would have tried to answer that.

"She's right in here," I say, gesturing to the door next to me. "But she's sleeping at the moment."

"I just need to make sure she's alright," Jenny says, sounding somewhat concerned now.

"Then by all means, go have a look." She just strides past me and opens the door, not saying another word. The rest of the squad walk in the building after Jenny enters Ash's room.

"What the hell happened here, Dylan?" Kaidan asks, walking up to me.

"Fuck if I know, Kaidan," I reply, shrugging. "One minute we're patrolling the perimeter of the colony, the next minute we're being attacked by crazy colonists. We managed to secure this building, but then some fucking zombie things showed up. They caught us by surprise, and Ash was closer to the door."

"Yeah, we found a few of those things along the way," Ian says, throwing his two cents in. "They were a real bitch." And that's when I notice the same splotches on his armor that Ash got.

"Shit, dude, you alright?" I ask, gesturing to his armor.

"Yeah. There wasn't a lot, so I didn't really get burned that bad," he replies, shrugging.

"Well that's good. I'd hate for that to happen to two people."

"She's gonna be ok, right?"

"I think so," I say, sighing. "I managed to get medi-gel on the burns, but that's all I could do. I just hope it was enough."

Just then, the door to Ash's room opens, and Jenny walks out while supporting Ash. Wow, I don't know what happened in those thirty seconds I was out of the room, but she's looking a lot better. Her armor is back on, and while it still has the holes from the acid, just seeing her back in armor is comforting.

"Ash," I breathe, quickly leaving Ian and Kaidan to stand by her side. "Ash, are you alright?"

"I've…been better," she replies weakly. "But I should be able to get back to the ship. I know I'm not combat ready."

"Tali," Jenny calls to the quarian. "You're going to escort Ash back to the ship. We've cleared out the colony, but I don't know what's between us and the ship."

"Of course, Shepard," Tali replies. "Can you walk, Chief Williams?"

"I…I think so," Ash says, trying to take a few tentative steps.

"Ash, don't overdo yourself," I warn. "You only just felt good enough to even stand up."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be fine, Dylan. Stop worrying." She manages to get to Tali on her own, but she starts to subtly lean on the quarian girl once she gets there.

"Alright squad, it's time to take out the Thorian. Dylan, before you ask, the Thorian is what caused this mess." I wasn't about to ask, but I suppose I shouldn't know about any of this. Guess it's time to learn things I already know. "It's a kind of sentient plant that releases spores that allows it to control those who inhale them. That's why the colonists went crazy: Zhu's Hope is right on top of the Thorian. ExoGeni was studying its effects."

"And I popped the ExoGeni rep that was keeping secrets," Ian says, getting a satisfied look on his face. "The little prick was such an arse. He actually wanted to kill the colonists to keep the company from looking bad!"

"Good!" I say, giving him a high five. "It sounds like he deserved it."

"Believe me, he did."

"I will admit, it was a good sight," Jenny says, giving a small smile. Then she gets serious again. "But now it's back to business. All that's left is killing the Thorian itself."

"It's a plant. How hard could it be?" Kaidan asks. I groan softly. If only he knew. Surprisingly, I hear a small groan escape Ian, too. That's weird. I guess he's tired of fighting the creepers. Poor guy has no idea what's in store.

"No matter how hard it is, we'll get it done," Jenny says, just bursting with confidence. Time to go kill a freaking plant.

* * *

The crane lifts the damaged freighter with ease. As soon as it opens, I see Ian and Liara recoil away from the entrance. They're both wearing a look of pure disgust and covering their noses. I guess it stinks down there. Good thing for full helmets! This thing is sealed up tight and circulating a nice supply of fresh oxygen. I knew it would be a good idea to wear this thing. Well…and it protected me from that varren. So I'm _doubly _thankful for this thing.

Anywho, the five of us enter the Thorian's lair. The first few flights of stairs look like every other staircase in this freaking tower. After a few levels, though, there are a few subtle differences: some moss on the walls, a little moisture on every surface, little things that usually indicate an excess of plant life. I'm sure that if this armor wasn't climate controlled, I would feel a lot of humidity.

We descend what seems to be the last set of stairs. Now we're walking along a long hallway. Just like everything else on this god-forsaken planet, the décor is getting really old really fast. Except now, the typical grey has been replaced by a sickly green. If it smells as bad as it looks out there, I really pity Ian and Liara. Finally, after what seemed like forever, we can see the end of the hall.

"So all we've got to do is find this thing and…and…" Kaidan's statement peters off as we enter the Thorian's chamber. "Oh dear."

"Well that's interesting," I say, dusting off my Jack Sparrow impression. For some reason, I always loved the way he said that in the first movie.

So yeah, this thing is pretty damn big. And disgusting. Just not a very pleasant thing in general. I always wondered why this thing had tentacles. I mean, it's a plant, not an octopus. Before I can take that odd thought any further, the Thorian begins to…expel…a certain…liquid…from its…orifice.

…

It's leaking plant spit from its mouth. Nasty.

And then it gives birth to the first of many annoying asari clones. Her skin, instead of being a healthy, normal bluish-purple, is a sickly green color. I always wondered why the clones were green. Oh well, not important.

The clone stands up and fixes Jenny with an annoyed glare. "Invaders, every step you take is a transgression," she starts. Her voice is oddly hollow, giving her words a dead feel. "A thousand feelers appraise you as meat, only good to dig or decompose. I speak for the old growth, as I did for Saren. You are within and before the Thorian. The old growth cares not for the air you push. It has dealt with the one called Saren, and trades were made. Now, Saren's cold followers exterminate those who would care for the old growth in its long slumber. The old growth commands that you leave this place lest you be torn asunder."

This so-called command leaves us in silence. You know what? I'm sick of hearing this thing talk. That was much longer than in the game. Time to shut this clone bitch up. I raise my Mattock and aim at the clone's head.

"Shut up." I pull the trigger.

All hell breaks loose.

Well fuck.

Creepers start to appear seemingly out of thin air. They also appear from every direction. I guess my trigger finger is gonna get a real workout. The five of us form up in a ragged circle to fend off the current horde. Liara's to my right and Kaidan's to my left. Cool, I'm surrounded by biotics! The next minute or so is spent just shooting the seemingly unending horde of freaking plant zombies. I'm really glad there aren't any special zombies like in Left 4 Dead. If there were, I think I'd shit my pants and run. But these simple zombies are manageable.

I gotta say, biotics look really effective against zombies. Liara and Kaidan have thrown and warped more creepers than I've been able to shoot. I think Liara even threw in a singularity for fun. Either way, the current crowd of zombies has been put down. Now we can actually breathe for a second. And for some reason, I suddenly have the urge to do another Ellis impression.

"I ever tell you about the time my buddy Jake tried to deep-fry a turkey? Third-degree burns over 90 percent of his body. His doctor called up, like, other doctors to look at him cause they'd never seen burns on top of existing burns―"

"We ain't got time for this, Dylan," Ian says, interrupting my story and giving me an odd look. Did he just…isn't that…how…what? You know what, until I have more time, I'm just gonna assume that was a natural response. But now I need to run an extranet search on Left 4 Dead.

"Ian's right," Jenny says, taking control of the situation. "We need to find a way to kill this thing."

"What about that thing?" I ask, pointing to the first node in the next room. I figure giving hints is probably the easiest way to get this over fast.

"Worth a try," Jenny replies, starting to walk into the room. We all follow. When we're all standing in front of the node, we start to rip it to shreds with bullets. It doesn't take very long for the node to burst open. The Thorian lets out a horrible screech when it's special root is destroyed.

"That seemed to hit the spot!" Kaidan exclaims.

"So now we know what we're looking for," Jenny says. "Watch out for more creepers as we're looking for more of those things." Shit, you don't have to tell me twice.

With the five of us, cutting through the zombie horde is relatively easy. We form a sort of wedge, switching the point man (or woman) ever once in a while. This simple formation cuts through the creepers like a hot knife through butter. Even the asari clone isn't able to do much damage: she gets cut down in a hail of gunfire and biotics before she can do any real damage. The whole thing is actually surprisingly easy. We all manage to keep our cool, though Ian looks a little jumpy now and then. No big deal; I'm surprised _I'm_ taking this all so well.

We finally manage to reach the top level and destroy the final node. With an anguished cry, the Thorian falls into the chasm beneath it. This fight is not something I want to replicate any time soon. One horde of freaking mutant plant zombies is enough to last me a few months.

As the echoes of the Thorian's cry die away, we can hear the sound of a pod opening. Time for Ms. Shiala to make her big entrance. I'm really not looking forward to what's about to happen. All of us turn toward the pod, weapons raised. This _is_ the same kind of pod the clones were coming out of, so we have every reason to be wary. Finally, the thing breaks open, and Shiala falls to the ground, covered in a disgusting looking orange goo.

"Finally! I'm free!" she exclaims, looking up at us. "Thank you so much for saving me."

"You're welcome," Jenny replies. "Are you alright? Any injuries?" Ahh, Jenny, ever the Paragon. But I suppose that's why everyone loves you.

"I should be fine in time. Anyway, my name is Shiala, and I serve—well, served—Matriarch Benezia. When she allied herself with Saren, so did I. We joined him to try and guide him down a gentler path."

"And look how well that turned out," Ian says. Shiala gives a nod of agreement.

"Saren is…compelling. Benezia and I lost our way."

"Are you saying Saren can control minds?" Jenny asks, sounding surprised and shocked. Shiala shakes her head.

"Not quite. Benezia underestimated Saren, just as I did. Over time, we came to believe in his cause, and his goals. Mind control, no, but the strength of his influence is troubling."

"How has Saren managed to do this?" Liara asks, speaking up for the first time in a while. "Asari matriarchs are among the most powerful beings in the galaxy. How can a single turian manage to influence one?"

"Saren posses a ship, bigger than any I've ever seen," she starts to explain. This is where I start to fade out a little. I know I really should pay attention, but I've heard Shiara prattle off this explanation about a dozen times. Her concluding sentence brings me back to the real world. "The Thorian was attacked so you wouldn't gain the Cipher."

"The Cipher being…" I ask.

"The vision you obtained from the Beacon on Eden Prime are unclear, correct?" she asks, looking at me. Wait, she knows I have the visions? That isn't very promising. If she knows, Saren probably does too. I nod my assent. "They were meant for a Prothean mind. To truly comprehend them, you must think like a Prothean, understand everything about them. After the Protheans who inhabited here died, the Thorian consumed them, learned everything about them. That's the secret Saren was looking for. An ancestral memory spanning thousand of Prothean generations, that's what you would need to think like a Prothean, to understand. I detected that memory when I was within the Thorian."

"Well that's interesting," I say, once again going Jack Sparrow. "It sounds like I need to get my hands on that. How would I go about getting that?" I ask, already knowing—and fearing—the answer.

"The only way is for us to meld minds. I can transfer the knowledge into your mind." I really wish I could pinch the bridge of my nose right now. This is not one of my better ideas.

"Then let's do this," I say. She just nods and slowly approaches me.

"Try to relax, Mr. *****." Wait, she even knows my name! "Reach out to grasp the threads that bind us, one to another. We are all connected, every living being united in a single glorious existence. Open yourself to the universe, Dylan. Embrace eternity!"

Well shit.

**A/N: So there's most of Feros. I decided to save the meld for next chapter, so you readers will just have to wait :) If you're wondering why there isn't much of the Thorian fight, there are only so many ways to write "A zombie ran at me. I shot it."**

**On a totally separate note, I want to give another round of "thank you"s to iNf3ctioNZ. He's been a great sport through all of this, and he's a pretty chill dude in general. He's been helping me with some ideas that'll come into play later in the story, so he'll be getting recognition at those parts as well. [You know exactly what I'm talking about Ian ;)]**

**Anywho, thanks for reading. I'll do my best to get the next one out this fast (no promises though). Until then, I love reading all of your awesome reviews. Later!**

**Edit: Wow guys. 100 reviews. I never thought I'd see the day. So a huge, huge thanks to all my reviewers to help me reach this awesome milestone! Seriously, you guys (and girls) are awesome!  
**


	14. Doors, Doors, and More Doors

**A/N: Hey peoples. So I'm very pleased with myself for getting this one out earlier than expected. Once again, I'll save most of the stuff for the end. Enjoy!**

**Doors, Doors, and More Doors**

I open my eyes and—

Well that's interesting. I don't appear to be on Feros anymore. In fact, I can't really tell where I am at all. There's just what looks to be a long-ass hallway with doors everywhere. This looks really boring actually. Like, more boring than Feros. Never thought I'd ever say _that_.

As I look around this seemingly endless hallway, I see Shiala about five doors down. What the hell is she doing here? Wherever here is. Wait, what was I doing before waking up here? I get the feeling I was doing something important. Something that involved Shiala. Wasn't she about to meld with me? If she was, what the hell are we doing here?

…

Oh. I guess that would explain a few things.

So this is what the actual meld looks like. Cool. You never actually see the meld itself in the game, just the vision again every time. I wonder if it's like this every time. And what's behind these doors? Guess I might as well open one up and see.

I turn towards the nearest door and take a second to look at it. Hmm…that's weird. It looks just like the door to my room back home. Wonder why that is. Eh, no sense in just standing here trying to figure it out. With nothing else to do, I open the door.

_I suddenly find myself in my room back home. But there's another me in here. Him-me is lying on the bed like I usually would, and I'm just standing off to the side. It's kinda weird because everything looks like it's been edited with that time-lapse photography. Him-me is jumping from task to task faster than I can really understand. He's just doing…normal stuff: watching TV, messing around on the laptop, playing Mass Effect._

_Wait…_

_Shit! I leave the room as fast as I can._

Slamming the door, I just lean against the wall next to it, trying not to have a heart attack. I'm really, _really_ glad that Shiala didn't walk over to see that. That would have ended any chance of my secret _staying_ secret. Though…now that I think about it, even if she would have seen me playing Mass Effect, she wouldn't know the importance of it unless it was the scene with her in it. To Shiala, it would just be a normal video game with turians and asari in it. Speaking of Shiala, I see her walking over to me right now.

"This is amazing, Mr. *****," she says as she gets nearer. "The lucidity of this meld is almost unheard of among most people. The strength of your mind must be incredible; though, the fact that you were able to handle the vision from the Beacon is testament to that. I will admit this is a fascinating change from a normal meld." I just kinda sit against the wall, looking at her with a bemused expression. Apparently I'm _fascinating_. That makes me feel like a science experiment.

"First off, if we're gonna be in here for a while, please just call me Dylan. Secondly, how the hell do you give me the Cipher?

"Oh yes, of course…the Cipher. First, we must find the vision itself. Each of these doors leads to a different memory or set of memories," she explains. Oh boy, this is gonna be a _blast_.

"So how do we figure out which door is the right door?" I ask, getting up off the ground. She actually looks a little embarrassed by the question.

"Well, um, you see…" I just give her a look. Not a regular look, but a _look_. One of those looks that manages to convey "you have got to be fucking kidding me" much quicker and nicer than words.

"You have no idea, do you?"

"Not at all," she replies. Well, at least she's honest about it. Props for that. "Why don't we just start opening up doors?" Really? That's her idea? Granted that's what mine was as well, but you'd think that the former disciple of a matriarch would have some better ideas than a teenage human male.

"If we go with that plan, I'm the only one opening any doors," I tell her, giving her a pointed look. Not the same as the last look, but similar. "I don't want a stranger rummaging around in my mind." Because god only knows what she'll find.

"That is more than fair," she says.

"Well then let's get going," I say, starting to walk down the hallway. I have no idea where I'm going, but anywhere is better than just standing around. Walking down the hall, I notice something strange about the doors: they're all different. I actually wasn't expecting that.

I come to a door that looks like the doors in my old high school. Hmm, it's even got a number next to it. Room 306. That was my AP Calculus class! Letting my curiosity get the best of me, I open the door for a quick peek inside. Just like last time, everything has that curious time-lapse look to it. There I am, sitting at my desk next to my friends, watching Mr. Achille teach us about integrals. Damn, those were fun times. I close the door with a smile.

I think I have a theory about these doors: I think that the doors in here look like the doors to the areas the memories take place in. It's happened both times so far. As far as I'm concerned, if it happens one more time, that's theory confirmed. With that in mind, I keep walking, Shiala following behind me.

An uncountable number of doors that I don't recognize pass by as we continue down the hall. Finally, after what seems like forever, I come to a door that I actually recognize. Surprisingly, though, it's my car door. Well…at least it stands out. I open the door and instantly see memories of cruising around in my Mustang (**A/N: Yes, I do have a Mustang. I'm not lying)**, windows down, and Breaking Benjamin blaring from the speakers. I let out a contented sigh. Man, those were good times. Getting one last long look, I close the door and continue walking. Well, I think that proves my theory about the doors. Now that we know what to look for, I should probably tell Shiala.

"So I think I've figured out a pattern," I say, looking back at the asari following me.

"And what might that be?"

"All the doors I've opened so far have lead to a memory that took place in the room that that door leads to," I explain. "So we need to find more modern looking doors. Most of my childhood was spent with…older doors. So new doors will lead to more recent memories." And memories that _don't_ allude to me being from a different universe.

"That…actually makes sense," she says, sounding surprised. Wow, that sounded kind of like an insult. Oh well, I'll let that one slide.

"Yeah, so we just need to find modern doors." I pause for a second. I can't believe I'm about to say this. "You take the doors on the left. Only open ones with modern doors." I stop, giving her the most pointed glare I can. "If you open _any_ of the other doors, I will personally expel you from my mind. Are we clear?"

To her credit, she doesn't shy away from my stare. I wasn't really expecting her to, but she still gets some points in my book. "Of course," she replies. "If you're ready, we should continue on."

I hold my stare for a few moments longer before nodding and starting to walk again. This has been a strange experience.

After what seems like fifteen minutes (there's no way to tell time here) of walking down this endless hallway, we finally start seeing some modern doors. Actually, I wonder what the door leading to the vision will look like, seeing as I got it outside. The first door I come to looks kind of like the door to the med bay in the Normandy. I can't quite tell, though; all these doors look similar. Whatever. I hit the haptic interface and step into whichever memory awaits.

_So it was the door to the med bay. I'm standing off to the side while other-me is laying on one of the beds. Him-me looks to be asleep. He's also the only one in here. If I had to take a guess, I'd say this was when I got the surgery for my foot and all that other stuff after the Citadel. This is weird though. How can I have a memory of this if I was asleep at the time? Suddenly, the door opens, and Ash enters. Him-me seems to wake up and look towards Ash. But I wasn't awake when she came in. Wait…oh no. That can't be good. From what I remember about twilight sleep, you can wake up from it but not be aware of it. It's like your body is awake, but your mind hasn't quite caught up. This might not end well._

"_Hi Dylan," Ash says as she approaches the side of the bed. _

"_It's Ash!" him-me says, sounding, quite honestly, higher than a rocket. "I want to be a dragon!"_

_Did I actually say that? Shit, that's embarrassing._

"_Yep, it's me, Dylan. Chakwas told me that you might not be fully awake yet and to basically disregard everything you say. So if you want to be a dragon, that's great."_

"_That's cool. Hey, hey, did you know that I gots a secret?" him-me asks, still sounding blazed out of his (well, my, I guess) mind. _

"_And what's this secret, Dylan?" she asks in response, getting an amused look on her face._

"_I's from another universe!"_

_Oh fuck._

"_That's great, Dylan. I'm so happy to hear that." She sounds like she's talking to a third grader._

_Suddenly, something seems to change in him-me. He seems more…aware. _

"_Hey, Ash," he says, sounding a lot more coherent. "What're you doing here?" And that's where I remember waking up. I think I've seen enough of this memory. I quickly open the door and exit._

Holy shit, that was weird. So I actually _told_ Ash that I was from another universe, but she didn't believe me because she thought I was uber-loopy from the drugs. That's about as lucky as can be. I just stand outside the door, looking around, when I see Shiala come out of one of the doors across the hall. I wonder what memory she just stepped out of. I still can't believe I'm letting her wander through my memories. Unfortunately, that's the fastest way to get this done. She apparently didn't find the vision because she quickly enters another door. I sigh quietly. I guess I should go into another door.

God damn it. That's five more doors I've gone into without finding the vision. Shiala hasn't either because she keeps going into more memories. I'm not really paying attention to my own memories at this point…that's probably a not a good thing.

Anywho, I just go ahead and enter the next memory down the line. I open the door, and I'm suddenly overwhelmed by the vision. The same images of death and destruction flash past my mind's eye at blazing speed. I manage to stumble out of the memory before I'm overwhelmed by the vision.

I stumble out into the hallway, leaning against the wall to support myself. Slowly, I slide down the wall until I'm sitting on the floor. I lean my head back, close my eyes, and take a few deep breaths to help calm me back down. I really wish the vision didn't kick the crap out of me every time. As I'm recovering, I hear a door open and footsteps approach me.

"What happened, Dylan?" Shiala asks, stopping a few feet from me.

"Found the vision," I say between breaths. "So how do you go about giving me the Cipher?"

"All I need to do is enter the vision," she explains. "From there, I can transfer the Cipher into your mind."

"That sounds easy."

"It is. The hardest part was _finding_ the vision. The lucidity of the meld made that task more difficult than normal."

"Well then let's just get this over with," I say, still breathing a bit heavily. She simple nods and enters the vision.

* * *

My eyes shoot open, revealing the destroyed tunnels of the Thorian's lair. Holy shit that was some intense shit that happened in there. Shiala's still standing in front of me, but she's looking at me with an…odd look. It almost looks like she's suspicious. I mentally sigh. She probably saw something in one of the memories. Oh well, there isn't really much I can do about it.

Shiala takes a few steps back. "I have given you the Cipher, just as it was given to Saren," she says. "The ancestral memories of the Protheans are a part of you now."

"Are you ok, Dylan?" Jenny asks, sounding a tad bit concerned. Aw, it's nice to know she cares. "What happened to you?"

I turn back to look at her. "We spent some time gallivanting around in my subconscious," I say in a droll tone. "We had a blast."

"You have been given a great gift: the memories of entire people," Shiala explains. "It will take time for your mind to process this."

"You aren't looking so hot, mate," Ian says. "You should probably get back to Normandy."

"I am sorry if you have suffered, but this was the only way," the asari apologizes. "You needed the Cipher. In time, it will help you understand the vision from the beacon."

"So now that you're free of the Thorian, what will you do next?" Jenny asks Shiala, taking control of the conversation.

"If you allow it, I would like to stay here with the colonists," she answers. "They have suffered greatly, and I played a role in their suffering. I would like to make amends."

"That's very noble of you," Jenny says with an approving tone. "I'm sure the colonists will take all the help they can get."

"Thank you, Commander. May fortune smile upon you."

* * *

"Dylan, you look…pale," Liara says as we all sit down in the comm. room. "Are you sure you aren't suffering any adverse effects of the Cipher?"

"I should be fine, Liara," I respond, pinching the bridge of my nose. "That was just a hell of an experience. And I'm still not totally sure what everything means."

"Maybe I can help," she says. Oh boy…here we go. Hopefully this won't take nearly as long as the last one. "I am an expert on the Protheans. If I join my consciousness to yours, maybe we can make some sense of it."

I let out a small sigh. "Yeah, might as well give it a shot," I tell her, sounding tired. I slowly get up out of my chair and walk over to her. At least she's not on the other side of the table; she's only a few seats down. She stands as I approach. I close my eyes, already knowing what comes next.

"Relax, Dylan. Embrace eternity!"

…

And here I am back in the damn hallway. Once again, I sigh. This is only my second time here, and I already hate it. I look around and notice that I appear to be where the vision is. At least the doors look right. I also see Liara standing next to me, looking almost awed.

"Dylan, this is amazing!" she exclaims. "I have never experienced a meld such as this."

"Yeah, that's exactly what Shiala said earlier," I comment, still sounding tired. I take another look around and notice that the door right behind us appears to be the door to the vision. "If you want to see the vision, it's right through that door," I say, pointing a thumb over my shoulder. "I'm just gonna wait here." And with that, I lean against the wall and slide to the ground.

Liara looks at me with some surprise, and then looks at the door with some trepidation. After a few moments of hesitation, she steps through the door.

…

I open my eyes to the sight of Liara's stunned face. "That was…amazing," she says with a certain amount of awe in her voice. "All this time, all my research…yet I never dreamed. I'm sorry. The images were so vivid. I never dreamed the experience would be so…intense. You are remarkably strong willed, Dylan. What you have been through, what you have seen, would have destroyed a lesser mind."

"So what did you see?" Ian asks, cutting to the chase.

"The beacon on Eden Prime must have been badly damaged," Liara explains, slipping into "doctor mode." I'm pretty sure I'm not needed anymore, so I walk back to my seat and sit down. "Many parts of the vision are missing. The data transferred into Dylan's mind was incomplete."

"So what should our next step be?" Jenny asks, finally deciding to speak up.

"As I said, there are large parts of the vision that seem to be missing. Saren might have another Beacon that contains the missing information," Liara says.

"Well until we find get more intel about where Saren's hiding, the only option left is Noveria. But before that, we need to stop at the Citadel. So that's where we're headed. Unless anyone has something else to bring up…" she pauses to look around the table. She gets head shakes from all of us. "Then you're all dismissed."

I groan as I stand up. I just spent most of a day in combat. That includes a major injury to the ribs that has just decided to flare up in pain. I clutch at my side, knowing it won't do any good at all. I guess this is another trip to the med bay; though, I was going there anyway to see how Ash is doing. My trip down the med bay is a short one. The door whooshes open to reveal Ash laying on the far bed, sitting up and fully awake. Strangely, I don't see Dr. Chakwas. Oh well.

"Hey Ash," I say as I walk over. She looks over at the sound of my voice. "How are you doing?"

"I feel like shit, Dylan," she says with a rueful laugh. "That acid hurt like a bitch. Luckily, the doc was able to fix everything. Apparently she can even get rid of the scars."

"Well that's awesome, Ash. It's good to know that your immaculate beauty won't be tarnished," I add with a smile. She just reaches for a pillow…presumably to throw at me. I pretend to be scared and hide behind a bed.

"As fun as this is, why are you here, Dylan?"

"Well, I thought the good doctor would like to take a look at the ribs that that krogan decided to charge into."

"Oh shit. I forgot about that, Dylan. Are you alright?"

I shrug, ignoring the quick jolt of pain that decides to shoot through my side just then. "I think I got off easier than you did, Ash. So where is Dr. Chakwas?"

"She's eating dinner," Ash replies. "If you want to get her, she'll probably cut it short to look at those ribs."

"Naa," I say, making a dismissive gesture. "I can wait. Is there anything you want me to do for you while you're stuck in here?"

"I would love it if you could just check on my station. I trust you guys to put your stuff away, but sometimes people just throw their shit in there without actually putting it away." I just laugh at this. Even while injured, she takes her job so seriously.

"Yeah, I can do that, Ash," I tell her. With that, I give a wave farewell an exit the med bay. Sure enough, there's Dr. Chakwas, eating her dinner. I just slip by without bothering her, making my way to the elevator. A short trip lands me down in the cargo bay.

Exiting the elevator, I give a quick nod to Wrex, who's in his usual spot. Surprisingly, he returns my nod with one of his own. Holy shit, he actually acknowledged my presence in a non-negative manner. I think that just made my day. Walking by the hulking krogan, I come to a stop at Ash's usual place. I just stand there for a bit before I hear a quiet conversation going on over by the Mako. I turn around to see Ian and Garrus sitting on the ground next to the vehicle. Knowing full well that it's not right to eavesdrop, I listen in on the conversation.

"So my asperitalla was afraid of a plant?" Garrus asks with a hint of teasing in his voice.

"A big plant. Really big plant. With zombie minions. And tentacles," Ian dead-pans.

"But it's still a plant."

"It could talk!"

"So it's a smart plant," Garrus retorts. That was actually a pretty good one.

"I keep getting the horrible feeling you're missing the point of the story, fradu," Ian says, trying to sound serious.

Garrus suddenly gets a big grin on his face. "All I know is that my asperitalla was scared of a plant."

"Maybe we should've put you in there and seen how you coped. You wouldn't be like this if you were there, you know. That thing was terrifying. All you did was sit on the ship while the rest of us almost got killed via noxious acid." Hm…Ian's actually sounding a little vexed.

"A fair point. I'm sure it was absolutely terrifying," Garrus says, sounding quite sarcastic. Then he pats Ian on the head. Wow, that looked quite condescending.

"Wow, now you're just patronizing me. Really cute, fradu. You wouldn't have been laughing if that acid had messed up your pretty face."

Now Garrus' grin manages to grow even bigger. "Please, nothing can harm this wonderful face," he says, gesturing to his face.

"How about my fist?"

"That's what I like to see, asperitalla."

"You'd like to see me punching you, fradu?" Ian asks, sounding amused now. "It can be arranged."

"I can skip the punching, thank you. But I love seeing your fierceness show."

"You do?"

"Of course. Why else would I call you asperitalla?"

"You could just be taking the piss. It's definitely not beyond you."

Suddenly Garrus' grin, which had remained on his face throughout the conversation, disappears. "Not with this, little one."

There's a few seconds of silence before Ian speaks up again. "I know you're just having a laugh about the Thorian, but...it was pretty scary. Honestly."

"Well then I'm sorry I wasn't there," Garrus replies with all sarcasm gone from his voice. He sounds genuinely apologetic.

"I know. It's weird without you watching my back," Ian says, looking up at Garrus. "Two years at C-Sec, then this."

"I know. It felt wrong, not being at your side. I hope it never happens again."

"Yeah. Maybe I need to keep a tighter hold on you in that case, fradu." Ian gets a small smile on his face. Then, out of nowhere, he lays his head on Garrus' shoulder.

"I'll be here if you need me, little one," Garrus tells him, wrapping a talon around Ian's shoulders.

"Thanks, dimicato'fradu," Ian says, nothing but pure contentment in his voice. They just sit there, looking more peaceful than Gandhi himself. Damn, I think I just intruded on a major bro moment. It was actually heartwarming seeing how close they are. I really wish I had some actual morals like knowing when to _not_ eavesdrop. To prevent any further intrusion, I quietly walk back towards the elevator. I think I'm just gonna wait around in the med bay till Dr. Chakwas is done.

As I'm leaving, I think I hear the faintest noise coming from next to the Mako.

It sounds like purring.

**A/N: So that's that. Got two melds in that chapter and some limited interaction. Next chapter's gonna be more interactions and some other stuff that you'll just have to wait to see. **

**I want to thank iNf3ctioNZ (yet again) for all his help and support. I told you guys last chapter that he's helped me with some events in the story. Well this was the first of many. All of Ian's dialogue was written by the man himself. So thanks for your help, Ian, and thanks for convincing me to go down this crazy path :-)**

**On an unrelated note, Welcome to The family has hit its 100th review! So I want to give a huge thanks to all of my regular reviewers for helping me reach this milestone.**

**Anywho, that's it for now. I'll try to get the next chapter out as fast as I can. Probably one to two weeks. Either way, thanks for reading, guys, and I look forward to reading all of your reviews! Ta ta!**


	15. Yeah, I Hugged a Krogan

**A/N: So one thing really quick before you read this chapter. I totally forgot a huge shout out at the end of the last chapter. A few reviewers pointed out a few select words used between Ian and Garrus. Some even correctly identified them as coming from Myetel's story, The Spirit of Redemption. She has created a wonderful culture and language for the turian species, one which she has so generously let me use. So if you love turians, OCs, and an amazing extended universe, go check out her stuff: http:/www[dot]fanfiction[dot]net/s/6735812/1/The_Spirit_of_Redemption **

** And now on to the story!**

**Yeah, I Hugged a Krogan  
**

I'm walking towards the elevator, planning to go back to the med bay, when I suddenly hear Wrex start to speak.

"So, human, how was Feros?" Really? He's calling me "human" again? I let out a small sigh then turn to face the hulking krogan.

"I thought we've been over this, krogan," I retort, looking him in the eye. "I have a name." I've always gotta be careful when talking to Wrex. One wrong move and I either lose his respect at best, or my life at worst.

His eyes narrow as I say that. Shit…I might have fucked up. If I wasn't afraid to break eye contact, I'd be looking for the best place to run and hide. Suddenly, he erupts in deep, rumbling laughter. I heave a mental sigh of relief. That was a little too close.

"Glad to see you haven't lost any backbone, Dylan," he says when he finishes laughing.

"Yeah, well I did almost lose my backbone to a krogan warlord," I tell him, coming over to stand in front of him. "As it is, I think I lost a few chunks of my ribs." And right on cue, the pain in my side flares up, and I grimace a little, clutching my side.

"Well you're not dead, so I can only assume you managed to win."

"Yeah, it was a close one," I say. I don't think I'll mention the fact that Ash actually saved me. That'll probably destroy whatever respect I've manage to gain. "The big brute had me pinned to a wall. Luckily, I was able to reach my knife and drive it into his skull." Wrex actually gets an apprehensive look on his face when I mention that.

"Where'd you stab him?" he asks. Why would he ask that? Oh, wait. He probably thinks I popped the poor bastard's plate off. If I really wanted to, I could use this to make myself look better…nah, I'll just tell the truth. With all the lying I've been doing, telling the truth is a novel concept.

"I got him in the eye," I tell him. He seems to relax a bit after that. Actually, the temptation to fuck with him is too great. "I was aiming for the plate, though. The area where it meets the rest of the skull looks kinda vulnerable." Once again, Wrex manages to look uncomfortable. "I figured I could get the knife up in there and maybe, oh I don't know, pop the plate off." Now he looks downright sick. I give him a quizzical look. "You ok, Wrex?"

"Don't _ever_ do that to a krogan," he says, getting right up in my face. Then he looks around furtively. "That's about the only threat that will work on us," he tells me, doing his best imitation of a whisper. "And don't ever _think_ about telling _anyone_ about that, you hear me?" Wow, he managed to go from looking sick to scary in record time. Now it's my turn to recoil slightly.

"Yeah, yeah, of course, Wrex," I say with a conciliatory gesture. "Not a word of it to anyone." He stares at me for a few more seconds then grunts.

"So what happened after you stabbed him?" he asks, apparently wanting to hear the end of my little story.

"Oh, right. So I stab the bastard in the eye, and he recoils, letting me fall to the ground. While he's trying to get my big-ass knife out of his eye socket, I pull out my hand cannon and start unloading into his head. When the thing finally overheats, that krogan is minus a head."

Wrex seems to consider this for a moment before nodding. "Not bad, Dylan. Granted, you needed to use a gun, but still, not bad."

…

Wow. Just wow. I don't even know how to respond to that. He just dissed me because I had to use a gun? I go ahead and say as much to him.

"A true warrior would have finished him with the knife," he explains.

"Well I guess I'm not there yet, but I'm just as happy to have killed him at all."

"That's more than most can say." After he says this, we descend into a somewhat uncomfortable silence. Finally, I can't take it anymore.

"Ok, Wrex. I'm gonna go get these ribs checked out," I say, starting to turn towards the elevator. "See ya around the ship." He simply grunts as I walk away. Well that was a fun conversation. I think I managed to win some more points from Wrex. I may not be a warrior to him, but I think I'm doing a pretty good job as it is.

I reach the elevator and press the button. When the doors don't open immediately, I sigh. Great…it's on another floor. Now I'm gonna be standing here like an idiot until it gets here. I lean against the wall and consign myself to a long-ass wait; however, I hear doors open before my self-pity can really take hold.

Wow, that didn't take long at all. Maybe it was already on the way to this floor. Pushing off the wall, I see Kaidan standing there in the elevator.

"Hey, Kaidan," I say, walking into the lift.

"Hey, kid. Which floor?" He asks me.

"Crew deck. Gonna have the good doctor take a look at my ribs," I tell him. He gets a concerned look when I say that.

"What happened? Are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Ash and I ran into a few krogan, and one of them apparently wanted a group hug with me and a wall." That earns a grimace from the lieutenant.

"That sounds rough."

"It was not pleasant. Luckily for me, my friend Bowie wanted in on the action. Mr. Krogan didn't like Bowie," I say, deciding to take my joke a step further. Now Kaidan just looks confused. He cocks his head to the side in the universal gesture of "what the hell are you talking about?" I guess I need to elaborate. "I stabbed him. With my Bowie knife."

"Oh, right. I got you. Since you're here talking to me, I'm assuming you won?"

I chuckle a little at that. "You know, that's almost exactly the same thing Wrex said. So how was the mission on your end?" I ask, deciding to let him talk for a bit. Unfortunately, the door opens to the crew deck before he can start his story. I give him an apologetic look. "Damn, sorry Kaidan, but I really need the doc to look at these ribs. You can tell me about it later, ok?"

"Yeah, sure kid. You go get better. We'll talk later."

"See ya, Kaidan," I say, walking out of the lift and heading toward the med bay. Damn, the one time I actually want the elevator to go slowly, and it decides to speed up. Stupid future elevator technology.

Anywho, I enter the med bay to see Dr. Chakwas sitting at her desk like usual. She's just casually looking at stuff on her terminal; unsurprisingly, it looks like some kind of medical data. She turns around at the sound of the door opening.

"Hello there, Dylan," she greets, giving me a kind smile. "Ash here was telling me that I should be expecting you soon."

"Yeah, well, I thought you'd be the person to see about some messed up ribs," I say with my usual half-smile.

"Well you thought correctly. Now if you'd please take a seat on one of the beds, I can scan your torso to see the extent of the damage." I shrug.

"Whatever you say, doc," I say, going over to sit on the bed next to Ash. I turn to face her, giving her the same half-smile that I gave the doc. "Hey, Ash. Long time no see." She rolls her eyes.

"Yeah, because that half hour felt like an eternity without you," she says, sarcasm just dripping from her voice.

"I'm sorry to have kept milady waiting." I figure I might as well have fun with this. It's better than awkward conversations.

"And I'm sorry to interrupt this wonderful conversation, but I need you to hold still so I can take my scans," Chakwas says. Oh yeah…I kinda forgot she was in here too. Well this is slightly awkward.

"Yeah, sure doc," I say, turning to face forward. She comes to stand in front of the bed then reaches up to pull a device down from the ceiling. Hmm, I never noticed that before. Since she's getting ready to use it, it's probably a kind of x-ray machine. Only a lot smaller than most were back home.

"Alright, Dylan, I need you to lift up your arms," Chakwas tells me. I comply without comment. She situates the device in front of my chest. "This will only take a moment." Her comment is followed by a low hum, which stops as quickly as it started. Chakwas lifts the device back up to the ceiling and walks over to her terminal.

"So what does it look like, doc?" I ask after she's been studying the terminal for a bit. She takes her eyes away from the screen to look up at me.

"Well, I've seen worse. You have two broken ribs and another that has a hairline fracture," she informs. "The easiest way to go about fixing this is for me to go in, reposition the broken ones, and then wrap all three in carbon nanotubes to support them."

I grimace a little. "That sounds fun."

"It really is the best option. With support on the bones themselves, they should be fully healed in about three days."

"Wow, that's hardly any time at all," I say with surprise. "Modern medicine sure is a wonder."

"That it is," Chakwas says with a small chuckle. "The procedure should take about an hour with an extra hour to let the anesthesia to wear off and make sure everything went according to plan."

"Sounds good. When can we start?"

"We can start now if you're ready." Wow, really? I thought there would be at least some prep time. Hey, no complaints out of me.

"Sure, let's get started."

* * *

Man, this is the second time in a week that I've woken up from anesthesia. I always feel so refreshed, but it probably isn't a good thing that I need surgery so often. As I regain my awareness, I realize that there's a conversation going on nearby. I'm still not awake enough to recognize the voices, and I haven't gotten around to opening my eyes.

After laying there with my eyes closed for a bit, I decide to go to the trouble of opening them. Everything's really blurry, which isn't very surprising. As the world returns to focus, I can finally see who's talking: it's Jenny and Chakwas. As my vision returns, so does my hearing.

"I assure you, they're going to be just fine, Commander," Chakwas says, quite emphatically.

"I just don't like having two of my team out of action," Jenny replies. Time to butt into the conversation.

"Well now you're down to one," I say, sounding a little drowsy. Both women look over to me at the sound of my voice. Jenny smiles, and Chakwas gets a satisfied look on her face. "How's it going, Jenny?"

"I've been better," she says, coming over to sit next to my bed. "You and Ash gave me quite a scare. And I was the one who ordered you to stay behind." Really? She thinks it's all her fault?

"Jenny, you can't blame yourself for that. You ordered us to help the colony, which we did. You couldn't have known of the Thorian at the time." Even if _I_ did. I hate this feeling. "I got messed up helping the colony, and if anything, Ash's injury was my fault. I didn't hear the creepers enter the building. None of it was your fault."

"But you're under my command; therefore, your health is my responsibility." I sigh. I guess there's no changing her mind with that.

"Well I'm fine, so no worries," I tell her. "I'm sure Ash is fine too." At that, I look over to Ash's bed, only to see the curtain blocking my view. I turn back and give Chakwas a questioning look.

"She's fine. When I was done with your procedure, I got to work removing her scars. I finished a few minutes before you woke up."

"Oh good. Speaking of me waking up, how much longer do I have to stay here?" I ask, giving her another half-smile.

"You still have a half hour, Dylan."

"Great, so I have a half hour to kill. That's fantastic." Suddenly, I get an idea. I think fun times are about to be had. I look over at Jenny sitting next to me. "Say, Jenny, do you want to play Questions again?" She gets a big smile at hearing that.

"Why wouldn't I?" she responds.

"How should I know?"

"Don't you know everything?"

"Who told you that?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"Why wouldn't you?" I ask.

"Don't you want to guess?"

"Is he or she on this ship?"

"No."

"Ha! Statement! One-love." I gotcha that time, Jenny.

"Isn't this all rather silly?" Ooh…nice try, but I see through your tricks.

"What makes you say that?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Can you explain it to me?"

"Can't you?"

"Foul! No repetition. Two-love," I say. Wow, I'm actually winning. This is a pleasant surprise.

"Can we stop?" Jenny asks.

"Is the Pope Protestant?" I ask.

"Foul! No non-sequitur! One-two." Damn. I forgot about that one.

"How could I be so stupid?" I ask.

"Quite easily, I'd imagine," Jenny says with a smile.

"Statement. Three-one, and game. Though I must admit, that was a nice insult at the end," I say with my own smile.

"Losing was worth it for that," she tells me. I just shake my head, smile still in place.

"Oh you."

* * *

Half an hour later, I walk out of the med bay. I can't believe that we played Questions for a half hour. That's crazy. Suddenly, my stomach rumbles louder than Wrex's laugh. Wow, I didn't realize I was this hungry. Then again, I haven't eaten since before the mission, so it's understandable. I turn into the mess hall and find it empty. But for some reason, there's some food just sitting on the table. Looking around, I see no one, so I walk over and pick up the food.

"If you don't want to feel like your stomach's trying to crawl out your mouth, trust me, don't eat that." I pull my head up to see Ian standing right in front of me. How the hell didn't I see him?

"Why? It can't be _that_ bad," I say to him.

"You're right, it's not. At least, not until the allergic reaction kicks in. Dextro food is kind of nasty like that." At that, I look down at the piece of food. I just kind of stare at it for a second before answering.

"Oh. Well then…thank you for the warning. Why is there dextro food out, anyway? I don't see Garrus or Tali."

"That's because you're not patient enough." Holy shit. I turn around to see Garrus standing behind me. How the hell didn't I hear him approaching? He was looking at me when he said that, but now he turns to Ian. "Was he trying to steal my food?"

"Yep. Caught him red-handed. What's the jail term for that on the Citadel?" Ian asks, with a small smile.

"I'm pretty sure we reintroduced the death penalty, actually…" Garrus replies, his mandibles widening slightly in what I'm guessing is amusement.

"Haha. Very funny, you two. In my defense, I haven't eaten since the before mission. I'm starving." As if on cue, my stomach grumbles again. "See?"

"By all means, get some food. I'm just saying, you'll be feeling a lot worse than starving if you eat Garrus'. Trust me on that," Ian says.

"And like I said, I appreciate the warning," I tell him, walking over to the food machine. I pick out a hot ham and cheese sandwich and sit down at one of the tables. Garrus and Ian sit across from me. "So what are you two up to?"

"Oh, uh…nothing," Ian replies.

"Just relaxing after the mission," Garrus adds. I can't help but chuckle at that.

"Sounds better than surgery," I tell them. Then I pause, wondering if I should ask the question that just came to mind. Eh, fuck it. May as well. "So you two have been friends for a while, right?"

"Yeah, just over two years now," Ian says. "Garrus is basically my fradu, anyway." Then he looks at Garrus and smiles.

"Same to you," Garrus says, returning the smile.

"And fradu means…" I say with a puzzled look on my face.

"Brother," they answer at the same time.

"It's turian," Ian clarifies.

"Ah, gotcha," I say. "So it sounds you had an eventful two years."

"Oh, you wouldn't believe some of the shit we got up to. Right, Garrus?" Garrus just shrugs.

"A lot of it was paperwork," the turian replies. "He'll exaggerate it."

"Nothing wrong with a little dramatic flair. So what was the biggest shit you managed to get into?" I ask. This should be some interesting stuff.

"Personally, I'd say blowing up a junior elcor ambassador's private spaceport," Ian answers. "With the ambassador in it himself. He was a serial killer, I should point out; it wasn't just for shits and giggles."

"Dayum. I'm almost tempted to call bull shit on that."

"No, that really happened," Garrus says. "He'd been cutting people up, then selling their organs to the black market."

"That just makes it sound less plausible," Ian mutters.

"I'm telling the truth! We ended up cornering him in the spaceport. He was attacking Ian, and I burst in and saved him…"

"I had it under control…" Ian mutters again. I'm just watching the byplay with a fair amount of amusement.

"Then, one thing led to another, and we blew it up," Garrus says, ignoring Ian's last statement. "Arresting him was out of the question. I didn't know elcor had biotics, but I don't want to see one ever again…" When he finishes, I just look between them for a bit, not saying anything.

"Shit," I finally say. "C-Sec sounds more fun than I thought. So when did that escapade happen?"

"That was actually my first case," Ian answers. "Talk about getting thrown in at the deep end...it was almost my last one."

"You survived this far," Garrus says.

"No, I did actually die at one point, remember?" Ian points out. I just give him an incredulous look.

"You've got to be shitting me. You died? What, had a big robed skeleton show up for you?" I ask with a chuckle. I mean, if he died, Death _would_ show up.

"See, you laugh, but that genuinely did happen," Ian tells me. "Told me it 'wasn't my time'. Apparently I've still got stuff to do." Garrus chuckles at that.

"You hallucinated it, fradu."

"Dead people don't hallucinate, last time I checked," Ian dead-pans.

"You're so stubborn," Garrus says, shaking his head. Creepily, I hear the same purr I heard earlier. I decide not to comment, but I'm starting to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"So...you actually died? For how long?" I ask.

"Couple minutes," Ian answers. "Apparently it happens all the time."

"Man, I bet Death hates it when that happens," I say, trying to make a joke. Ian actually gives me a funny look.

"Actually, he didn't seem too bothered…almost wanted to get rid of me." Wait, what? He was being serious? Ok…I'm kinda creeped out now.

"Don't encourage him, Dylan," Garrus says.

"So how'd it happen?"

"Some little s'kak called Ricardo Fernandez," Ian replies. "He was trying to poison the Citadel's red sand supply, kill off all the junkies, since they were a 'plague on society'. Crazy fucker. We stopped his operation, but he managed to catch me. Tried his hand at some torture, then Garrus turned up to save me. He tried to shoot Garrus, and…well, I took the bullet. I'm still waiting for my medal, actually." He finishes with a small chuckle.

"Don't joke about that," Garrus says quite firmly.

"Damn, big guy. That's some crazy shit right there," I say, ignoring Garrus' last comment "You can't have anything that can top that."

"Oh, you'd be surprised…" Ian mutters under his breath.

"I can't think of anything else," Garrus says. "Most of my time at C-Sec was worrying he'd get himself killed." He ends by giving Ian a pointed look. I grin at the banter between them.

"It sure does seem like a constant worry," I say, sounding amused.

"Hey, I can handle myself," Ian says with mock indignation. "Garrus, on the other hand, doesn't want me to leave his side. Thinks I'll get shot the second he's not around."

"That's because you do," Garrus replies drolly.

"Only because you lead me into it." I chuckle lightly and shake my head at their banter. I can tell these two are really close friends. I also finish my sandwich.

"Ok, guys. That was a good story time," I say, starting to stand up. "We should do it again soon. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go wander the ship before my shift in Engineering starts."

"Sure, sure. We'll just, uh…" Ian starts to say, looking over at Garrus towards the end.

"You said you needed your omni-tool calibrated, right?" Garrus asks. "I saw it in the sleeping quarters earlier."

"Oh, aye. We'll go do that. See you around, Dylan."

"You know where to find us."

"Yeah…see you two later," I say, walking away from the mess hall. That was a nice conversation. I never knew two guys could get into so much shit in only two years. Though Ian's little tale about dying was slightly creepy. I never thought I'd ever hear another person's point of view of Death. He's not usually the kind to leave people around to tell the tale.

Anywho, I'm not really sure where I'm headed. I just started to idly climb the stairs to the CIC. Hmm…maybe I'll talk to Joker. That should be an interesting conversation, and I always did like the sarcastic little cripple.

…

I mean that in the nicest way possible.

So yeah, I walk through the CIC, nodding to crew members that I recognize. I soon enter the bridge and see Joker sitting in his usual spot. Walking up behind him, I lean on the back of his chair.

"Hey, Joker," I say. He looks up to see who it is then goes right back to watching the controls.

"Hey, Dylan. So I heard you tried hugging a krogan."

"Yeah…the big fella looked like he needed some lovin'. Unfortunately, he wanted to hug a wall as well."

"Sounds awesome. So does fighting a horde of plant zombies."

"Don't forget being mind-raped by an asari," I add.

"Oh c'mon, you know you loved it. That's like sex to them. Think about it; you just had sex with two hot asari!"

"Seeing as that's the closest you'd ever get, no wonder you fanaticize about it," I say with an evil grin.

"Really, Dylan? A cripple joke? I expected more from you," Joker says, sounding disappointed.

"I just work with what you give me, Joker. Not my fault you left yourself open to that," I tell the pilot.

"Usually people have tact when talking to me about my illness."

"Then this should be an exciting, new experience for you. And plus, I've never been one for tact. I'm blunt to the point of rudeness on my better days."

"Big surprise there," he mutters.

"You know you love it," I say, letting my grin get bigger.

"It is rather refreshing talking to someone of my caliber."

"One does one's best," I reply.

* * *

Wow…I can't believe Joker and I verbally sparred for over an hour. That was intense. As well as I was doing early on, I think Joker managed to take that round. That man has an incredibly sharp tongue. We'll have to do that again some time.

Unfortunately, it's time for my shift in Engineering. It's not that I don't like working down there, I just haven't slept since before the mission. Now that I think about it…that may have been yesterday. I look down at my omni-tool to see that it's 01:00. Well fuck me. I've been up since 05:00, and that was after less than five hours of sleep. I wonder if Adams will let me off the hook for this shift.

I enter Engineering and look around for Adams. Actually, I don't see him around. Maybe he's asleep. I guess I need to see who's in charge then. Though that should be pretty easy, seeing as there are only two other people in here. I walk up to them.

"Hello there," I say. They both turn at the sound of my voice. One appears to be a typical white guy: about 5'10", kinda stocky, black hair, a short beard, etc. The other looks like an Indian male…and I mean actual Indian, not Native American.

"How can we help you?" the white guy says with a slight Russian accent.

"I was wondering which one of you was in charge down here."

"That would be me," the same guy replies. "Second Lieutenant Alexei Dubyansky at your service."

"Listen Lieutenant, I was kinda wondering if I could, maybe, skip my shift tonight," I start. He immediately gets a scowl on his face. "I was on the ground team for the mission, got injured, and haven't slept since yesterday. I may be dying." Luckily the scowl lightens upon hearing that. He sighs quietly.

"I would love to help, but Adams wouldn't like people skipping their shifts. When are you scheduled till?"

"I only had a half shift tonight, four hours," I tell him. "So that'd be 05:00." Alexei remains silent for a few seconds, just standing there looking at me.

"When did you say you last slept?" he asks.

"I went to sleep at 01:00 yesterday. Woke up at 05:00." Once again, he slips into silence.

"Go to sleep. You're no good to us in your present state," the Russian says. Really? That's awesome! He might be my new favorite crew member. "That's what I'll tell Adams. I'm sure he'll understand."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. I owe you one," I say, starting to walk out. He just grunts a reply. Wow, I can't believe he actually let me off my shift. Well maybe I can actually get a full night's sleep tonight. That would be cool.

I enter the bedroom after an uneventful elevator ride. As I'm walking to my bunk, I can hear a soft noise…it sounds like the purring from earlier. Whatever. I'm too tired to care.

Soon, sleep's gentle embrace soon takes me.

**A/N: So there we go, a nice little interaction chapter. Next up is some random stuff on the Citadel. **

**Once again, you readers are given the special treat of iNf3ctioNZ writing Ian's dialogue. He also wrote for Garrus. I'd like to say don't get used to this, but I'm not so sure. He can be very helpful when he puts his mind to it. I don't mind it, and I'm sure you guys (and girls) enjoy a more in character Ian. **

**Anywho, that's it for now. Hope you've enjoyed more of my ramblings :-) Ta ta!**


	16. Breakfast Stories

**A/N: Hey guys, I'm back. I'll save all excuses for the end. You've all waited long enough for this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Breakfast Stories**

Wow that felt good. Oh man, that may have been the first _real_ night's sleep I've gotten here. This is a strange feeling, actually waking up because my body wanted to instead of being forced to. I've spent the last few nights either having a scary-ass dream, being knocked out, or, hell, fucking _dying_. So this is a very pleasant surprise.

After just lying there for a few minutes, enjoying the peaceful serenity, I finally decide to open my eyes. Looking around, I see that I'm the only one still in the room. Hmm…I wonder what time it is. Checking my omni-tool, I see that it's just after 10:00. I guess that explains why I'm the only one in here; everyone else is probably at breakfast…or done with breakfast. Maybe I should get up there before all the food is gone.

I get out of bed, throwing on a new set of navy blues. They're not my first choice of apparel, but considering the only clothes of my own that made to this universe are the camo shirt and pants, these navy blues are better than most of the other clothes in this time. I just don't get how fashion could change so much. I thought jeans and a t-shirt would never go out of style. Though come to think of it, Ian still keeps that same basic 21st century style. I guess he just has really good taste. I'm glad to see that some people have an appreciation for truly good clothes.

Anywho, I walk out of the room and enter the elevator. Pressing the button for the crew deck, I lean against the wall, close my eyes, and wait for the lift to take its sweet time. Surprisingly, the door opens in a fairly short amount of time. Hmm…that's weird. Maybe Tali did something to make it faster. I'll have to ask her. If so, she deserves a hug.

So yeah…I walk out of the elevator and into the mess hall. I turn the corner to see everyone sitting at the table. Well, everyone but Wrex, but that's not surprising.

"Hello, Dylan," Liara says, being the first to notice my entrance. At her announcement, everyone immediately looks up and gives me some kind of greeting.

"Howdy, y'all," I reply, absentmindedly slipping into my southern accent. I walk over to the food machine and grab a ham and cheese omelet and take a seat at the end of the table next to Ash and across from Garrus. It looks like they're all done eating and are just talking now. "What was you talking about?"

"The ExoGeni team was telling us what happened on their end of the mission," Ash tells me. Then she turns to Jenny. "Well, keep going." Jenny laughs at Ash's excited tone.

"Ok, so we get back to the bunker after destroying the geth ship," Jenny starts. "We hear what sounds like a rather violent argument over the radio, and Elizabeth yells to stop the Mako. She hops out and runs in like an idiot, so we all get out and follow her. Long story short, that jerk Jeong tries to intimidate us." Ian, who's sitting next to Garrus, chuckles.

"Yeah, we saw how far _that_ got him," the Brit says with a smile. "After about ten seconds, I got sick and tired of him and kicked him in the nuts. Then, for good measure, I punched him once he doubled over."

"Damn, dude, that's harsh!" I exclaim. Though considering how much of a douche Jeong is, that's about what I would have done. So I guess I can't say anything.

"Hey, he totally deserved it," Ian says, trying to defend his actions. "He was gonna kill the colonists! Because ExoGeni said they were 'liabilities.'"

"It was terrible," Kaidan says, deciding to add to the conversation. "How can anyone be so heartless?"

"Pretty easily, I'd say," I mutter.

"That is quite a pessimistic thing to say, Dylan," Liara says, somewhat reproachfully.

"What? It's true. Most people are pretty awful."

"Dylan, I order you to stop being cynical," Jenny says in a mock serious tone.

"Aye aye, ma'am," I say with a playful salute. She just gives me a glare. I give her a cocky half-smile back.

"So anyway," Jenny says, "Ian knocks this guy out, and Juliana gives us that nerve gas to use on the colonists. As we're leaving, Joker calls us and tells us what happened to Ash." I grimace a little at the memory. That honestly scared a few months off my life. "We race across the skyway, narrowly avoiding death on numerous occasions, and make it back to the colony. We fight our way through dozens of colonists, with no casualties, and meet up with Dylan and Ash." At that, she pauses then looks at Ash and I. "So would you two care to fill us in on your half of the mission?" We look at each other before I gesture to Ash to start us off.

"Well," Ash starts, "After you guys left, we went back to Fai Dan. He told us that the colony needed food, power, water, and a geth transmitter destroyed."

"Sounds easy, right?" I ask with a small chuckle.

"It sure did," Ash answers. "We get down to the sublevel and enter the first room we see. Turns out, that's where the transmitter is. We get to the end of the hallway to find four krogan standing around the damn thing."

"Um, I believe you skipped the part where I saved you from those rocket troopers," I interrupt with one of my cocky grins. She gives me an evil look, which earns a laugh from the rest of the group. Deciding to take up the story, I keep talking. "So anyway, after I save Ash," She punches me, "we get to the krogan. Let me tell you, they looked like mean bastards, so we decided to give 'em a surprise. Turns out even krogan don't like grenades. Two of the big bastards died from the explosion. Unfortunately, the other two charged out in full blood rage. We each managed to kill our krogan before we died."

"Um, I believe you skipped the part where I saved you from that krogan about to maul you," Ash interrupts with a cocky grin of her own, mirroring my earlier phrase. That earns another round of laugher from the group. I just narrow my eyes and look at her.

"Well played," I say. "Well played indeed." She keeps up the grin for a second before taking up the story again.

"After I saved Dylan's sorry ass, I had to pick up the pieces the krogan left laying on the ground." She stops and gives me a pretty sorry look. "You were pretty messed up after that."

"That's what I get for trying to hug a krogan," I say, shaking my head in mock disappointment. That earns a small chuckle from the group.

"After I pieced him back together, we moved on to the next room," Ash says, continuing the tale. "The next room literally involved turning a few valves to get the water flowing again. No enemies to fight at all."

"I personally enjoyed that part," I quip. "It was a nice rest before the next room."

"Yeah, the next room was almost as bad as the krogan room," Ash explains. "You see, to help the colony deal with its food problems, we had to kill an alpha varren."

"Except no one told us that we had to fight through its whole pack as well."

"Oh c'mon, it couldn't have been that bad," Ian says. I turn and stare at him for a second.

"Have you ever fought a varren?" I ask.

"Yeah. None were ever able to get close enough to do damage."

"Have you ever fought twenty-five varren at once?" He's silent. "Didn't think so," I say after a few moments of awkward silence. "One of those little buggers even got a claw across my helmet. Put a nice scratch across the visor. And after all of the normal varren were dead, the alpha showed up. I swear this thing was the size of a freaking tiger and twice as nasty. Luckily it was just him, so Ash and I were able to riddle him with bullets before he got close."

"Once the alpha was dead, we were free to look for a power supply for the colony," Ash says, taking up the story again. "Lucky for us, there was a damaged Grizzly in the same area as the varren, so we were able to scrounge the power supply out of that."

"It was nice to have another easy objective," I add.

"Amen to that," Ash says. "So with that, we'd done everything that needed done, so we went back up to see Fai Dan. Long story short, that's when the weird shit started happening. One moment he's talking to us like normal, then a random gunshot goes off behind us, and he's trying to kill me."

"Luckily, I was keeping an eye on him," I say. "I knocked him out before he could do any damage. That's when Ash and I figured that boarding up in some random house would be a good idea. We cleared out the house—non-lethally, I might add—and set up camp. After one attack by some colonists, a group of those zombie things surprised us." I stop for a second and take a deep breath. I hate thinking about this. "Ash was right next to the door, and they swarmed her." I see Ash give a small shiver. That's probably a worse memory for her than it is for me. "Needless to say, those bastards didn't last five seconds. I got Ash into a room and somehow got her stable. After that, it was just repelling wave after wave of zombies. You guys showed up, and that was that."

"It sounds like I missed a hell of a mission," Garrus says. Oh yeah, he was about the only one that wasn't involved in the mission at all. Him and Wrex.

"You sure did, fradu," Ian says. I go to take another bite of my omelet, only to find that there's none left. When did I find time to eat this whole thing? I wasn't even aware that I was eating it that whole time.

The conversations have moved on to more mundane things, and since I'm done, I just sit back and let the talk wash over me. I'm surprisingly content at the moment. This is just like any of the innumerable times I had breakfast with friends back home. It's amazing how fast I've come to think of these people as friends when they were nothing but pixels on a TV screen about a week ago. That sure is a testament to the adaptability of the human mind. It's also amazing just how normal these conversations are. No one's talking about the mission right now. It kinda brings everything down to earth. As big as this situation is, and as amazing as all of these people are, they're still regular humans…and turians…and asari and quarians. It's all very calming, and I haven't felt so at peace in this universe. Ash finally breaks me out of my reverie.

"So Dylan, what are you gonna do once we get to the Citadel?" she asks.

"Not quite sure. Probably gonna go to an armor shop to see if my helmet can be fixed. Get a new paint job, too. You want to come? I figure you need a new set of armor after what happened to the last one." She appears to consider it for a moment before answering.

"Sure, Dylan, I'd love to," she replies. "Maybe we could get some food, too."

"Alright, sounds like a plan," I say with a smile. "So did you have any place in mind or—"

"Good morning, folks, this your pilot speaking," Joker's voice says over the intercom, stopping all conversation around the table. "As of…" A small shudder runs through the ship, "right now, we are officially docked with the Citadel. I would like to thank you all for choosing to fly Air Joker, and I hope to see all of you again real soon." The intercom audibly clicks off, letting the conversations resume.

"Well, I guess we're here," I say to Ash.

"Sure sounds like it," she replies. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I just gotta grab my armor and talk to Jenny real quick. Gimme like five minutes and I'll meet you up at the airlock."

"Ok, sounds good. See you in a few," she says, starting to walk off.

* * *

Seven minutes later, I enter the CIC with an armor case in hand. It was actually harder than I thought to fit my armor into its case…it was also harder than I thought to _find_ the damn case. Oh well, no big deal. As I walk through the CIC, I take a look around. There's just a skeleton crew around the various consoles; I guess Jenny gave everyone a bit of leave. Speaking of Jenny, I still need to talk to her. Luckily, she's standing at the galaxy map.

"Hey, Jenny," I say, walking up to her. She turns away from the map to address me.

"Hi, Dylan. What can I do for you?"

"I have a quick question about money," I say. She gets a confused look on her face, so I'd better clarify. "When you told me that I was staying on the Normandy, you said I was on the Alliance's payroll. I was wondering where that money is." Realization hits her, and she gets a small smile.

"Since you've never had an account of your own, the Alliance made one for you. If you give me a few minutes, I'll get that account info for you."

"Ok, thanks, Jenny," I say with a smile of my own. "I'll be over by the airlock." I walk away, heading for the airlock, as she walks up to a terminal.

"You're late," Ash says with a smirk as I approach. "Are you ready to go?"

"Not just yet," I tell her. "I gotta wait for Jenny to give me my money."

"So do you have any idea where you want to get your armor repaired?" she asks.

"Not a clue. I was hoping you would have an idea." She just stares at me for a few seconds, giving me another one of her "looks."

"Dylan, my first time on the Citadel was when we came to see the Council," Ash explains in a patient voice.

"Well same here," I reply. "I guess we're gonna flounder around the Citadel like a pair of lost kids."

"I think I can help with that," Jenny says, walking over and handing me a data pad. "Personally, I like Miller & McCarthy. They do good work. They're also not far from our berth."

"Thanks, Skipper. We really had no idea where we were gonna go."

"No problem, Ash. You two have fun, but remember to be back by 22:00."

"Can do," I say, throwing off another playful half-salute. Jenny just shakes her head and walks away. Ash and I enter the airlock, ready to enjoy some leave.

* * *

Well, we're standing outside a store called "Miller & McCarthy's Arms & Armor," so I'm guessing that this is the place that Jenny was talking about. It was actually pretty easy to find. All we had to do was find a rapid transit terminal and tell it to take us to Miller & McCarthy. It did the rest. Along the way, Ash and I talked about mundane things: family, friends, hobbies, and stuff like that. She somehow got me to admit that I write sonnets every once in a while. After telling her that I wasn't much for poetry, she quite candidly called me out for being a hypocrite. Then she asked me to recite one that I had written. Begrudgingly, and after much pestering on her part, I conceded to her request.

_From whence the ancient, damnéd cave I fled, _

_I did a sacred grove of trees espy._

_Upon approach I felt a sense of dread:_

_Such sights should fall upon no mortal eye._

_The gods, in splendor, do their joys create,_

_And I, upon my new ascent, did find _

_That even gods their truths do obfuscate._

_They keep their light and wonder from my mind._

_As I draw closer to their site of play,_

_The truth of gods I do attempt to learn._

_I reach a place that hides me from the day,_

_And now, at last, their truths I do discern._

_In abject horror, I flee back to Dis_

_To shun a life that ever lived like this. _

For good or for ill, we reached our destination right as I finished my recital. Finally tired of just standing outside the shop, I walk in, Ash following closely behind. I'm actually glad this is a shop instead of a stall. Gives it a feel of legitimacy: I can actually look around and see suits of armor and weapons displayed proudly on the walls.

"Hello. How can I help you?" a voice asks. I turn, looking for the source of that voice. I finally find the person who spoke…well, his torso, at least. I have to look up to see the rest of him.

"So should I just get this out of the way now and ask how tall you are?" I ask, looking up at his face. He just laughs at my question.

"People always ask eventually, so I guess it saves time to get it out of the way now," he replies. "I'm six foot seven. Also, my name's Joel McCarthy." Six foot seven? Yeah…I can believe it. I thought six foot was a respectable height, but I only come up to Joel's shoulders.

"Alright, Joel, glad we got that out of the way. I'm Dylan, and this is Ash," I say, extending my hand. He shakes my hand, and I must say, he has a firm grip. I like that. He also shakes Ash's hand before speaking again.

"So how can I help you today?" he asks.

"Well, I'm looking for a new helmet and new design for my armor. Ash here needs a new set all together," I tell him.

"Well, we have a customization station right over there," he says, pointing to a nearby console. "It's pretty self-explanatory. And you can come with me, ma'am, and I'll set you up with a nice new set of armor."

"Thank you Joel," Ash says as they walk toward a display case. Now I'm left to use this console to make my armor look badass. I walk up to the station and start the process. I have to put my armor into a nearby little chamber. The chamber scans my armor and shows a 3D model of it on the screen. Now it just shows a bunch of icons along the side. It all looks a little like MS Paint, so it's pretty easy to figure out.

So let's see…how do I want my armor to look? It should be suitably intimidating to my enemies. So I'm gonna start off with a jet black base. Just make the whole thing as dark as night. Now what kind of design do I want? Once again, it should be somewhat intimidating…or do I want symbolic? Hmm…this is quite a conundrum. I think I'm gonna go symbolic.

Now what kind of symbol do I want? This is harder than I thought. Maybe I should have considered this problem earlier. After a few minutes of trying ideas and rejecting all of them, I think I've finally found one that I like: a blood-red hourglass with almost all of the sand run out of the top placed right over my heart. Enemies will see the nearly empty hourglass and know that their time is up.

…

Did I really just think that? Oh god, I need help. That could have been the single corniest thing I've ever thought. But even with that god-awful line, I still like the symbolism of it. It's also simplistic: the symbol is actually pretty small, so most of the armor is just pure black. I hit the accept button and let the chamber go to work. The console tells me that it'll be done in ten minutes.

With that, I walk away, looking for Ash and Joel. I still need to find a new helmet. I find the two of them looking at more armor displays. Looks like Ash still hasn't decided. Typical woman.

…

I'm sorry, is that sexist? I'll try to refrain from doing that again.

Anywho, Joel must have heard me approaching because he turns around to face me.

"Did everything work out alright?" he asks.

"Yep. It was all pretty simple, so now I'm just letting the machine do its job."

"Great. So is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Actually, there is. I need a new helmet. A varren tried to use my last one as a chew toy." That earns a generous chuckle from Joel.

"Well if you'll follow me, we have an entire wall of helmets and masks available," he says, leading me to the other end of the store. Did he say masks? That sounds…interesting. We turn a corner to a beautiful sight: literally an entire wall of helmets and masks. I thought he was exaggerating when he said it was a wall…he wasn't. I don't even know how to describe this sight. However, my eyes soon fall on a single mask.

It's black. In fact, it's the same jet black as my armor is now. But all along the front right side, there are stylized white damage marks. It makes the area around the mouth look like a skeleton. Also, running along the left side of the nose is a red stripe, matching the color of the hourglass. In all honesty, it looks pretty badass. I wouldn't want to see a guy wearing that coming at me. Joel seems to have picked up on my excitement.

"Do you want a closer look at it?" he asks. I just nod my head, too excited to speak. That earns a laugh from Joel. He walks up and takes it off the wall, handing it to me. It doesn't disappoint under close inspection. I'm officially in love with this mask.

"Three questions," I start, still staring at the mask. "One: Can this be integrated into an existing hard suit? Two: Can it be sealed like a regular helmet and have its own oxygen supply? And three: How much?"

"A big ol' yes to the first two. All these masks are vacuum certified. As to the cost, 4,300 credits." Now normally I'd balk at such a high price. However, I took a look at my new Alliance account. Turns out the Alliance pays pretty decently. After two missions, I have 7,500 credits in my account. It feels nice to have money.

"Alright, that's good. And how much does the armor customization cost?" I ask, wanting to get a grand total for everything.

"All customization is a standard 500 credits," he replies. So that brings my grand total to 4,800 credits. That's not bad, I suppose. I'll still have 2,700 left in the account.

"Ok then. I think I'm ready to check out, then."

"Sounds like a plan. If you'll grab your armor and bring that and the mask up to the register, I'll ring you up." I just nod and go to grab my finished armor.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Ash and I exit the store. I've got my armor back in the case, along with my new mask. Ash ended up buying identical armor to what she had, only the heavy version as opposed to the medium. I won't deny that she's always looked good in that armor. All the curves—

No! Bad Dylan! Don't go there, those are bad thoughts.

"So now that that's over, where do you want to eat?" Ash asks, pulling my mind out of the gutter.

"Having never been in this area of the Citadel, I have no idea. I say we just pick a place."

"I don't really have a better idea, so we might as well."

We spend the next twenty minutes just wandering down the halls of whatever ward we're in tight now. I'll admit, it was hard enough to find a place to eat back home where it was all human food. Now that there's alien food in the mix, it seems downright impossible. There don't seem to be any just human food restaurants in this area, so we finally just settle for one that serves both human and asari food.

We walk into the restaurant, which has a name that I don't even want to try to pronounce, and ask for a table. Surprisingly, we get one right away. The dining area looks busy, but not crowded. I guess this isn't much of a lunchtime restaurant. Either way, Ash and I get our menus and start browsing. The human part of the menu is somewhat sparse, so I give a look at the asari side.

I have no idea what these things mean. However, I'm feeling slightly adventurous, so I pick an asari dish that seems to be some kind of squid dish. I tend to like calamari, so I figure I'll give it a shot. The waiter comes back and I order my squid-like dish. Ash opts for a human style steak.

After the waiter leaves, Ash and I fall into a somewhat uncomfortable silence. Neither of us wants to address the elephant in the room, and we've pretty much exhausted our supply of innocent small talk. Right as the silence is becoming unbearable, my omni-tool pings. Ash's does too because we both look down to see a voice message from Ian. I don't think he realizes how perfect his timing is. If he were here, I'd be tempted to give him a hug. However, my good spirit is dashed when I open the message.

"To any Normandy crew," he starts, sounding a little panicked. "Garrus and I need assistance. We were amb—" And then it goes silent. This doesn't sound good. I replay the message; I have this nagging feeling that there was something right before it cuts out. As it gets close to the end, I slow it down. I was right…there was something.

A gunshot.

**A/N: Yes...I'm gone for over two weeks, and I leave you with a cliffhanger. Though I promise that this delay was highly unconventional. There is only one word to describe my absence: Skyrim. Two, blissful weeks of Skyrim. But now I'm back.**

**The next chapter is shaping up to be a doozy. It will also feature a slight deviance from the norm, but don't be alarmed, it's gonna rock. And can you believe it? I've gone a whole A/N without mentioning iNf3ctioNZ.**

**...**

**Damn it. But seriously, I'm just as glad as you guys are that this chapter is done. I felt so bad that I wasn't writing for two weeks...but I was also playing Skyrim, so honestly, it kinda balanced out.**

**Anywho, that's it for now. I hope the long delay hasn't put off my wonderful reviewers; I've gone too long without reading all your wonderful comments. Until next time, bye!**


	17. What the Fuck

**A/N: Hey peoples! I'm back quicker than expected. I guess I'm trying to make up for that huge delay for the last chapter. As an added bonus, this is my longest chapter yet. As an added, added bonus, I'm trying something new this chapter. Hope you like it!**

**What the Fuck**

**Ian Shaw, Citadel.**

Garrus and I walk out of Laet's shop, and I'm in a great mood. I can't believe I pulled that off. That is so bootleg. I got this kick-arse new helmet and armour design for half price! All I had to do was convince him that I'd get Shepard to get the Alliance to use him as a supplier. It was actually pretty chill meeting someone who knew Garrus before C-Sec. It seems like they were good friends. I say as much to Garrus.

"Yeah, we were pretty good friends before boot camp," Garrus explains. "Unfortunately, we went to different facilities, so we lost touch for a while. Found the old villi again when I came to work for C-Sec." As fascinating as that tale was, what the hell is a villi?

"And a villi is a...?" I ask, giving him a puzzled look.

"It's a predator on Palaven. Small—about the size of a Terran turkey—and vicious. I've heard it's similar to a creature that lived on Earth before humans: a Velociraptor?" The last is said with a questioning inflection, like he's unsure if he got it right.

"If those things are like raptors, I never want to meet one," I say.

"They're not the most pleasant creatures," he agrees. Then he chuckles, seemingly at random. "I still can't believe you got that discount out of Laet." I can't help but smile at his amazed tone.

"Yeah, well, I'm just that awesome," I say quite modestly.

"Says the guy who was scared of a plant."

…

Did he really just go there again? I thought he done with that. I stop short, just staring at him with an incredulous look. He turns back to look at me, and his mandibles are about as wide as I've ever seen them.

"You just love taking the piss about that, don't you?" I ask, catching up to him. I'm not really sure where we're headed, but I don't really care. It's nice to just wander the wards with Garrus. We never really did that while we were with C-Sec. We patrolled enough that when we were off duty, we usually just stayed at Garrus'.

"Well, it's almost getting too easy now," he replies, ending my nice internal monologue.

"Good. It's getting old," I tell him. He doesn't reply, and we just keep wandering down random halls. Finally I decide to just ask the question that's been in my head for a while. "Where are we going?"

"I have no idea," Garrus says, managing to sound completely blasé about it.

"I thought you leading me somewhere," I say, not able to keep the slight irritation out of my voice.

"Nope. Just wandering." He almost sounds smug about it.

"Why do I keep following you around?" I ask, rhetorically. "You always seem to lead me into trouble."

"You know you love it," he says, mandibles widening in amusement. "Your life would be horribly boring without me."

"It'd be a hell of a lot safer, too," I mutter. The smug bastard just chuckles. The worst part is, I know he's right. If I hadn't been teamed up with Garrus for the last two years, I might have died of boredom. I guess it just goes to show that—

"Help!" A voice screams from nearby. "Somebody please help!" Garrus and I don't even think; we're running towards the voice before the second scream even starts. Rounding a corner, we're met by a sight that's so clichéd that I never thought I'd actually see it: a little old lady getting mugged. Seriously, I didn't think anyone actually did that, but it's happening right before my eyes.

The big brute takes a moment away from mugging a defenceless old woman to look up. He sees Garrus and me. Standing there. Pistols drawn.

He runs.

We chase.

You know, running through the wards, chasing a crook with Garrus really makes me feel like I'm in C-Sec again. Granted it's only been a few weeks at most since Garrus and I left, but it's still a bit nostalgic being involved in a foot-chase.

This guy is surprisingly fast for being so big. Or maybe he's surprisingly big for being so fast...whatever, doesn't matter. He seems to be taking turns at random. Then again, Garrus and I never really patrolled this section very often, so for all I know, he's leading us back to his hideout full of his mates. Probably not, though. Most likely, he's just some brute that wanted a quick buck. He rounds another random corner with us right on his heels.

What the fuck? The bastard's stopped running and is now just standing next to a random salarian. A really familiar salarian. Oh no...what the fuck is _that_ twat doing here?

"Hello, detectives. Fancy meeting you here." Yep, that voice confirms it. I can feel my anger start to rise, and Garrus is getting just as worked up. I can hear his growling already.

"Saleon. I never expected to see you on the Citadel again," Garrus says, barely keeping his voice level. He also re-draws his pistol that he'd holstered during the chase. I follow his lead and do the same.

"And I never expected you two to fall for such an easy ploy," he retorts. "This was almost too easy."

"If you didn't notice, your only help is some guy who resorted to mugging old ladies," I quip. "Once we take care of him, we can arrest you like we should have done 3 months ago." The bastard actually has the gall to laugh. That actually gives me a bad feeling. Whenever a bad guy lets himself get cornered, it's usually because he has an ambush set up...shit.

I open up my omni-tool right as I see Saleon start to make a gesture. I open up the Normandy's emergency band on the radio to try to get a message off before shit gets heavy.

"To any Normandy crew," I start, seeing a bunch of goons emerge from behind crates that I somehow didn't notice. "Garrus and I need assistance!" I see a thug aim what looks like a taser at me. "We were amb—" Suddenly, my world erupts in pain, and I feel my muscles spasm. One of those muscles is the one in my trigger finger, and a shot fires off, hitting nothing. I think the taser also messed with my onmi-tool, but I feel an impact against my head before I can check.

The world goes dark.

* * *

**Dylan, Citadel**

I'm moving before I even know what my body is doing. Ash, quick as ever, is right on my heels. I nearly sprint into the men's room with my armor. Faster than I thought possible, I've donned the newly painted armor and mask. Unfortunately, all I have in the way of weapons is my Carnifex. As I'm exiting the bathroom, Jenny's voice erupts over the radio.

"Normandy ground team, I need to know where all of you are. Right now!" I go to reply, only to realize that I haven't set up my new mask to interface with the radio. Shit. As I'm fiddling with the new tech, the rest of the ground team starts to report in.

"This is Dr. T'soni. I am currently at a Prothean museum on Tayseri Ward. I am without armor or weapons."

"Wrex here. Chora's den."

"This is Tali. I'm at a tech shop on Kithoi Ward. I'm only armed with a pistol."

"Lieutenant Alenko reporting in. I'm in the Normand's med bay with a migrane."

Finally I get everything set up. I wonder why Ash hasn't called in yet. Oh well, I'll call in for her. "This is Dylan. I'm with Ash at a restaurant on Zakera Ward. We both have armor and pistols." Of course, right as I finish, Ash exits the women's room, ready for combat. She comes over to stand next to me, waiting for Jenny's orders. She actually gets back fairly fast.

"Ok. The call came from an alley in Zakera Ward. That means Ash, Dylan, and Wrex. The rest of you can resume your activities. The three of you, get to that alley. You'll be getting coordinates momentarily. Joker and I are gonna try to track Ian and Garrus' omni-tools. We'll get back to you." The radio clicks off, and Ash and I trade a look. I feel that something should be said before we get moving. Hmm…

"Well, it looks like I get to save someone who's not you for once," I say, trying to add humor to my voice, seeing as I can't convey facial expressions. I can feel Ash's gaze boring into me from behind her facemask. I just hang my head in mock shame. "Yeah, that was stupid. We should get going."

"Yes we should," she says. And with that, we hurry out of the restaurant, most likely terrifying the patrons of said establishment. We just ignore it and continue to the alley.

Soon enough, we're there, and Wrex is casually leaning against a wall. He looks up at the sound of out footsteps.

"Took you two long enough," he says, voice as low as ever. Then he seems to notice something. "Interesting mask, boy. It's better than that piece of shit helmet you used to wear."

"A compliment, Wrex?" I ask, putting a playfully questioning inflection in my voice. "That's the last thing I'd expect to hear from you." Before he can answer, Jenny's voice comes in over the radio.

"Alright guys, Joker and I managed to find Ian and Garrus," she says, sounding a bit relieved. "They're in a warehouse not far from the alley you're in. We can't pinpoint where in the warehouse, but we know they're there. Good luck." And the radio clicks off.

"You heard the skipper," Ash says. "Let's get to that warehouse and kick some ass." I let out a snort of laughter. Hell, even Wrex gives a small chuckle. I can almost feel Ash's grin from behind her visor.

Anywho, with Ash's cocksure statement, the three of us get moving. Checking my omni-tool for the location of the warehouse, I see that it really isn't that far. It's maybe two blocks away. This should be really easy. We travel in silence and soon find ourselves standing outside the entrance.

"So how do we want to go about doing this?" I ask, giving the door in front of me a scrutinous look.

"Well, it looks like there are three different doors," Ash starts. Since she's talking, I turn to her, giving her my full attention. "We can either split up—"

Suddenly, an explosion rocks the area.

"What the fuck?" I scream, turning around and drawing my pistol. The sight I'm met with is quite unexpected. Wrex is standing in front of the door, holding his shotgun with the barrel still smoking. Oh, there's also a giant fucking hole in the warehouse wall. That big fucking lizard is just standing there with the biggest look of smug satisfaction I've ever seen.

"Wrex! What the fuck?" I yell at the krogan.

"We needed a way in. I made one," he replies with the almost infallible logic of a centuries-old mercenary. As much as I want to say something to refute that, I can't bring myself to find anything wrong with it.

"Let's just get in there and find those two," Ash says, sounding resigned to her fate of working with two explosion-happy males. And with that, she walks through the new hole in the wall. I enter next, pistol ready, safe in the knowledge that Wrex has my back. I come to stand next to Ash, who's now just standing right inside the hole. Wondering why she's just standing there, I take a look around the warehouse.

…

What the _fuck_?

I don't think I can comprehend what I'm seeing. If my eyes can be believed—and I'm not going to enter a tangent where I contemplate the truth inherent in that statement—I am seeing a pool of gods be damned fucking lava in the middle of this warehouse. Again, I repeat: What the _fuck_?

Who puts a pool of lava in a warehouse? How the hell do you even get lava on a space station? I'm literally flabbergasted at this sight. I don't even know how to accurately express my disbelief in words. I'm not even sure words exist to describe this.

"Since when did we get to Therum?" Wrex asks, coming to stand next to me.

"Wrex…I have no god damn clue," I say. We all just stand there, admiring the wonderful absurdity of this situation.

"Ok, guys, we need to get searching," Ash says after a while, drawing us up from our near trance-like admiration.

"Yeah, ok," I say. "I guess I'll look over to the right."

"Left," Wrex rumbles.

"So I'll take straight ahead."

And with that, we all head off in our respective directions. Honestly, besides the giant pool of lava, this seems to be just an average warehouse. There's row upon row of boxes stacked up basically to the ceiling. That's about it.

After about five minutes of wandering around this side of the warehouse, I see something else I wasn't expecting to see: a big red button. Seriously, think about any video game where you need to press a button to advance; that's what this button looks like. This is seriously getting fucked up.

"Ok, so I found this big, unmarked button on the wall," I say over the radio. "Have either of you found anything?"

"Nothing," Wrex says. "I've checked the whole left side."

"And there's nothing in the center besides the lava pool," Ash reports.

"So what should I do with this button?" I ask. I'm very tempted to press it, but I'm resisting that temptation for now.

"I say press it. There's nothing else in here worth a damn," Wrex advises. I like his idea.

"For once, I'm gonna agree with Wrex," Ash says. Wait, what? I have permission to press the shiny red button? That's awesome!

"Alright. Pressing in three…two…one." And I press it.

…

And absolutely shit-all is happening. Well that was a huge fucking letdown. I was at least expecting some sort of—

A strange sort of rumbling interrupts my train of thought. Oh shit…that can't be good. I immediately run back to the center of the warehouse, fully expecting to make a mad dash for the hole in the wall in about ten seconds. However, when I reach the lava pool, I notice something odd…it's not there anymore. What the fuck is going on in this crazy place?

I just stand there looking at the empty pool where the lava used to be. Seriously, where the hell did it go? Lava doesn't just disappear…right? Maybe that rumbling somehow made it go away. As I'm standing there contemplating what actually happened, Wrex and Ash come running up to me. When they see me just standing there, they seem to calm down and come to stand next to me.

"Wasn't there a pool of lava here a few minutes ago?" Ash asks, sounding just as bewildered as I feel.

"I thought so," I say, scratching at the small beard that I've decided to grow. "What should we do?" As a response, Wrex just starts to walk toward the empty pool.

"Wrex! What are you doing?" Ash yells at him. He just ignores her and keeps walking. Ash and I trade a look and run after him. We catch up to him right at the lip of the pool, and we're met with about the eighth "what the fuck" moments of the day.

Inside the pool is a spiral staircase winding downwards. No signs of lava ever having been in here.

"Since those two aren't up here, they must be down there," Wrex comments. Once again, he's right. No matter how fucking odd this whole situation is, we looked everywhere else. Ian and Garrus have to be down here. Without any more comment, Wrex starts descending the stairs. Knowing that he's right, I follow him. I hear Ash give a sigh before following us.

We reach the bottom and are met with a single door. Staying true to form, Wrex opens it without any forewarning. The door whooshes open to reveal another item in a long list of purely absurd things I've seen today.

Waiting for us on the other side is a man. Not just any man, though. No. This man is wearing white spandex unitard with red latex gloves and boots. Oh, he's also wearing an oversized helmet that looks like a human heart. He turns around at the sound of the door to see a giant krogan battlemaster standing in front of him.

"Y…you…you can't be down here," he manages to stutter out. "Dr. Heart doesn't want any intruders."

Without even changing expression, Wrex raises his shotgun. Oh no…he's not…even _he_ wouldn't do that. Though now that I think about it, he did basically the same thing to Fist in the game. I manage to close my eyes just as I hear a loud boom, shortly followed by a grotesque squishing noise. I reopen my eyes to see giant splatter of blood and grey matter that probably would have passed for modern art back in my time. I have to resist the urge to lose my breakfast. I think that's the single most disturbing thing I've seen in my life. Wrex, being the krogan he is, just walks past the headless corpse without a second glance.

"So…why did you just shoot him?" I ask, sidestepping the body, trying not to look at the mutilated neck stump.

"He obviously works for whoever this Dr. Heart is. If the doctor doesn't want us down here, he's probably the one that took Ian and the turian." Jeez, what is with Wrex today? His logic is infallible. And Dr. Heart…where have I heard that name? And why would he want to capture Ian and Garrus?

…

God damn it. What the hell is Saleon doing on the Citadel? I thought he was floating out in space with his creepy experiments. And why is he employing guards that look straight out of any clichéd bad guy lair? This day is getting weirder by the minute.

"Wrex is probably right," Ash says, halting my train of thought. "Right now, we need to focus on finding Ian and Garrus. If there are any more goons dressed up like this, they're probably hostile. Feel free to eliminate them."

"Sounds like a plan," I say. Wrex just grunts. With that, we move down the corridor, weapons ready.

We wind our way through this strangely linear maze of hallways. Every now and then, we encounter a small group of the costumed goons. They never stand a chance. I'm not even sure if they're wearing shields because our shots rip through them with ease. In the few encounters where they even manage to get shots off, they never manage to break our shields. This is actually too easy. It's scary how under-prepared these "guards" are.

Finally, we come to a door. Seeing as it's the only door we've run into, I'm guessing this is the end of the road. Without even speaking, we take places in preparation for a breach: Ash on the right, me on the left, and Wrex opening the door. Wrex slams the door interface, and we storm in the room.

…

Again, I repeat: What. The. Fuck.

* * *

**Ian Shaw, Citadel**

Oh god. What the hell happened? Why does my head feel like a hobo started beating me with a lead pipe? Slowly I open my eyes, only to see a white ceiling. Where the fuck am I? Wait…why was I out in the first place?

Shit. We got jumped. By Saleon! I bet that bastard is the one holding us. I try to move my arms and legs, only to find that they're strapped to whatever I'm laying on. On a totally unrelated note, I feel cold and exposed. Surprisingly, my head isn't restrained, so I look down at myself to see that I'm shirtless. The hell?

Suddenly, I hear a stirring next to me. Then it groans. That sounds like Garrus! Ok, he's waking up, which means he's no worse off than I am.

"Fradu! You alright?" I ask, hoping to bring him around faster.

"Whaa...Asperitalla, is that you?" he asks, still sounding groggy as all hell.

"No, it's the other British human you hang around with." I say, trying to lighten the mood. He groans before answering.

"Yep, it's you alright. Consciousness to sarcasm in five seconds. That's a new record," he says. Something about his voice seems off.

"Saleon must have planned this," I say as I turn my head to look over at Garrus. "Wait...why are you topless?" And he really is. That's interesting, actually. Even though I lived with the guy for two years, I never really saw him shirtless. What the hell is going on here? He turns his head to get a look at me.

"I could ask the same thing, little one," he replies. "And yes, I'm guessing Saleon was behind this...seeing as he was the one that ordered the thugs to attack us."

"Good to see you're as perceptive as ever." I start looking around the room for any means of escape. I also start to test the restraints. They don't budge. "Well, he's done a fucking good job. I'm stuck. You?"

He struggles for a bit before answering. "Same. He's got us locked down. Why would that bastard be back on the Citadel?"

"Considering we've been captured after him and some thugs jump us? I'm guessing revenge," I reply, a little sardonically. Seriously, what kind of twat does something like this? And why isn't he floating out in space like he's supposed to?

"That seems horribly clichéd. He got away. Why does he feel it necessary to get revenge?"

"Because he's mental, I dunno." So let's see...as far as I can tell, we're both restrained quite effectively to these tables. I can't move my hands or feet. How the hell are we supposed to make our daring escape? "Look, we can work out motive once we're out of here. You got any bright ideas?"

"Let's see, I can't move my hands or feet, which means I can't really move at all," Garrus says, sounding thoughtful. "Other than having him get close enough to bite him, I've got nothing."

"That makes two of us. Bollocks." Seriously, there has to be some way to get out of here. There's never been a way _not_ to escape. Though I suppose if we can't get ourselves out, there's always the rest of the crew. Unless my message didn't get off...shit. I really hope it did. Otherwise, we're fucked. Tired with that train of thought, I look back over at Garrus. Why did Saleon take our shirts? Though...I never realised how muscled Garrus was. "So, uh...you been working out?"

There's a long silence after I blurt that out. "Have I been working out?" he asks with a small chuckle, sounding highly amused. "No more than usual. Why, see something you like?"

"You look more toned than I last remember." I'm still wondering why Saleon would take our shirts...wait...fuck. "Why would Saleon have us shirtless anyway?"

There's a stunned silence after I asks that. "Oh s'kak. This can't be good," Garrus replies.

"Well, if I wasn't already feeling bad about this, I do now. We need a plan, fradu."

"Agreed." Right as he says this, a door off to my left whooshes open.

"Ah good, you're awake," Saleon says, sounding incredibly pleased. "I was beginning to think I'd killed you." There's a short pause. "That would have spoiled the fun."

As he says this, he steps into view. God, I forgot how fucking ugly this bastard is. Ok, now that he's here, we need to stall him. Our only hope is the rest of the squad showing up. Hmm...I wonder. Maybe Garrus and I can keep him talking, maybe make him angry. Angry people make mistakes. Hopefully that'll buy us enough time. "You know, Saleon, if you'd wanted to see a human and a turian topless, you should've just used the extranet."

"I'm surprised a salarian would even want to see other species topless," Garrus says after only a short pause. Good, it looks like he caught on to what I'm trying. "I guess there's always one reject in every species."

"Oh, I don't think you'll be making jokes when you find out what I have planned for you," Saleon says, rubbing his hands together in that clichéd way that all the villains in cheesy movies do. Unfortunately, that statement of his make's me worry a bit.

"If you're not just here for the view, what the fuck do you want?" I ask.

"I'm going to continue the work you two so rudely interrupted when we last met," the mad scientist replies.

"How did you even get back on the Citadel?" Garrus asks. "Your face has been plastered on walls ever since you left with your tail between your legs."

"Yeah, you've been giving children nightmares with those pictures ever since you scurried away," I say, keeping up the verbal assault. "How does an ugly bastard like you get back in?"

"Oh, I have my ways," he replies. "It's amazing what an evil genius like myself can do." Garrus and I just share a look. One that says, "can you believe this guy?"

"Right...evil genius," Garrus says, sounding incredibly sceptical. "What did you do? Change your name from Saleon to Gayleon?"

...

Did Garrus really make a gay joke? That's incredibly immature...and also incredibly funny. "I see what you did there, fradu." He looks over at me and grins.

"I'm glad you liked it. It sounded like something you would say." Meanwhile, Saleon is quietly fuming. He's just kinda standing there, almost shaking with what I'm guessing is rage.

"Aye, it is," I say. "What's the matter, Saleon? Pissed off that we're still kicking your ass even when we're chained down?"

"You're petty verbal attacks cannot stop my master plan! Isn't that right, Mr. Mittens?" And with that, he reaches down and stands back up holding a white, long-haired cat. Then he starts to pet it. What the fuck? The bastard has a cat? And the stereotypical "bad guy" cat, as well.

"You've got to be shitting me," I say with disbelief plain to hear. "Is this just some massive troll? Where are the hidden cameras?"

"I don't see any, fradu, but you know how small they can be," Garrus states. "I bet someone's gonna burst through that door any second saying that we've been pranked."

"You laugh now, but that's only to cover the terror that is slowly building in your hearts," Saleon says, quite overdramatically, I might add. I just chuckle at the sheer amount of melodrama.

"Yeah, Mr. Mittens is seriously intimidating. You know cats are illegal on the Citadel, right?" Garrus chuckles at that too.

"Yeah, what was the sentence for possession of an illegal feline? 20 years to life?"

"Sure, if the judge is nice." Meanwhile, the salarian bastard is getting angrier and angrier. I'm actually surprised how easy it is to get him worked up.

"No matter! No one will ever know!" Saleon yells. "Nor will they find your bodies once I'm done with you." After he says this, he goes for what I'm guessing was supposed to be an evil laugh. It just ends in a terrible coughing fit. I almost feel sorry for the guy...almost.

"You're a fucking mess, pal," I tell him.

"If you let us go now, we might be able to convince the judge to go easy on you."

"Never! My plan cannot fail! I will harvest your organs and sell them on the black market for 100 million credits! And Mr. Mittens will eat the rest." Wait, wait, wait...harvest our organs? That sounds...not ideal. Aw, who am I kidding, that sounds downright terrifying.

"Wait, you're gonna do what?" I ask, trying to keep the slight terror from my voice.

"Harvest your organs. What else would I do?"

"You could let us go," Garrus says.

"That sounds like a much better idea," I add. "You kill us, Saleon, and there's no turning back."

"It doesn't matter," he says. "Once I kill you and have Mr. Mittens eat the remains, I'll escape and roam the heavens harvesting the organs of everyone in the galaxy." He goes for another evil laugh with similar results. I honestly can't believe how stupid that plan seems. Harvesting everyone's organs? That's downright idiotic. And how the hell is Mr. Mittens gonna eat me?

"You have to be the single most deluded person I've ever met," I tell him. "Now let us go!" With that, I start struggling against the restraints again. I have no better luck this time.

"I'm with Ian on this one. You're crazy."

"I AM NOT CRAZY!" Saleon yells, suddenly sounding furious. "I am an evil mastermind who will rule the whole galaxy!" I honestly can't believe how deluded this guy has become. He's a fucking loon.

"Come on, Saleon, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem," I say, trying to placate him. We don't want him getting _too_ angry. We just need to stall till the crew gets here.

The salarian starts to take deep breaths, visibly trying to calm himself down. "My only problem is that you two are still alive. Maybe I should fix that." Wait, what? Nonononono, he's not supposed to do that yet!

"You can still make it out of this, Saleon. But if you kill two cops, that's it. You're done."

"And we're not just with C-Sec anymore," Garrus reminds him. "We're friends with Commander Shepard. If you hurt two of her crew, she'll hunt you to the edges of the universe." He makes a dismissive gesture with his hand.

"I'm more than capable of handling a human female."

"Talking from personal experience, are we?" I quip. Honestly, he left himself open to that.

"And here I was thinking you were interested in the two handsome men strapped down to your tables," Garrus adds. Now Saleon is shaking again. His face is also contorted into such an expression that it must hurt.

"Joke all you want. It still won't save you," he says with a menacing edge in his voice. He moves out of view, and I can hear him start to rummage around in a drawer. I quickly look over at Garrus.

"Plan. Now." He seems to hesitate, and it looks like he's putting his brain in overdrive.

"I...I can't think of anything. The biting is still an option, I suppose." Shit...there's no way out. This is it. We're fucked.

"That's not enough, but I can't think of anything either..." Saleon comes back into view holding a dangerous looking scalpel.

"Gentlemen, say hello to your doom," he says, menacingly. I start struggling against the restraints with all my might. If I don't get out, this is it.

"You don't want to do this, Saleon!" I say, still struggling.

"Oh, but I do," he says, starting to lower the instrument towards me with agonizing slowness. "This is the first step to galactic domination." I look over at Garrus, finding something besides my own death to look at.

"Fradu, help!" He struggles against the restraints himself, but he has the same amount of success as I do. He just stops trying and meets my eyes. They look haunted and remorseful.

"Just focus here, asperitalla." he says quietly. "Don't worry about him, just look at me. I...I'm sorry Ian. This isn't how I planned to go out, but I'll be damned to the spirits if he sees us scared." All the while, Saleon is still lowering the scalpel with agonizing slowness. He even manages to get the evil laugh right. I can't believe this is how it ends. I never even figured out why I was brought here. Now I never will.

Suddenly the door bursts open.

"Everybody freeze! This is C-sec!"

* * *

**Dylan, Citadel**

What the fuck. I know I've said that about twenty times today, but really, that's about all I can say. The three of us burst into the room to a sight that was totally unexpected.

Ian and Garrus are sitting next to two C-Sec officers with a tied up salarian laying on the ground. The two C-Sec officers, two human males—one black, one white—are just chilling and chatting with Ian and Garrus. The three of us are still standing, weapons ready, right inside the doorway, looks of shock on our faces. The four people already in the room look up at the sound of our entrance.

"Oh, hey guys," Ian says, giving us a wave. The little bastard sounds so…laidback.

"We thought you would never get here," Garrus adds, sounding just as nonchalant. Ash, Wrex, and I are still just standing here. For once, it seems like even Wrex has no clue what to do. Finally, I decide to voice the question on all our minds.

"What the fuck is going on here?" I ask, not bothering to hide the irritation I'm feeling.

"Oh, C-Sec showed up and saved us," Ian answers. I wait for him to elaborate, but that's all it seems he's gonna say. I look to Garrus with a questioning look, hoping he'll provide some extra info.

"In one of our last major cases at C-Sec, we were after a salarian named Saleon," Garrus says, responding to my questioning look. "He managed to get away. But today, when Ian and I were walking through the wards, he managed to ambush us, hence the call Ian sent out. Long story short, he was going to harvest our organs and sell them. Luckily, our friends Sam Vimes and Keyshawn Jones here showed up before he could do that." The officers nod in greeting.

"So basically an old enemy came back to get revenge on you two," I say, trying to summarize Garrus' explanation.

"Pretty much," Ian replies. "Don't know what the hell got into him, though. When we were after him at C-Sec, he was still fairly sane…well, sane for a guy harvesting organs. But he seemed crazy when he was talking to us before he did his work."

"Wait, he told you his plan while he had you tied up?" I ask, interrupting his story.

"Yep."

"That has to be the most clichéd thing I've ever heard!" I exclaim. Ian laughs at that.

"I know, right? He even had a fucking cat."

"…A cat? Holy fucking shit. This seems to explain all the messed up shit we ran into on the way."

"What'd you three run into?" Garrus asks.

"Well, when we first got here, there was what appeared to be a pool of lava," I explain.

"Lava?" Ian asks, sounding like I did a bit ago.

"Lava. But then when I pushed a big red button, it went away. I think it might have been a hologram. The 'lava' was hiding a staircase, which got us into these tunnels. Inside the corridors, there were what I have to assume were guards. Only thing was, they were wearing spandex and had giant helmets shaped like hearts." By the end, Garrus and Ian are just staring, dumbfounded. Then they share a look. Then they burst into laughter. Their laughter is infectious because Ash and I start laughing too. Hell, even Wrex gives a few chuckles.

This was one fucking weird day. All we can do now is laugh.

And laugh we did.

**A/N: So there ya go! How was that? Did you like what I did with that? If so, I may utilize that strategy in the future.**

**So obviously, I have to give (yet) another huge thanks to iNf3ctioNZ for not only letting me use Ian in the story, but also letting me write his POV. Yes, I'm the one who wrote Ian's sections...well, except for his dialogue in the Saleon scene. But I still did the internal monologue! For both sections, I might add. So yeah, thanks, Ian, for being such a good sport. **

**Also, I realized that I haven't given out virtual cookies in a while. So you have a chance for two in this chapter. I've hidden two Discworld references in here. You get one cookie for each right answer.**

**Oh, and if you want a picture of Dylan's new mask, follow this link: cdn2[dot]iofferphoto[dot]com/img/item/144/880/985/army-of-two-paintball-airsoft-bb-gun-rios-mask-commando-eb99e[dot]jpg **

**Anywho, I suppose that's it for now. As far as future updates go, I'm gonna try to work on a 10 day update schedule. That's my goal, but that still may fluctuate by a few days here and there. Until next time, bye bye!**


	18. The Elephant Moved Rooms

**A/N: Hello! So I'm quite proud of myself for getting this out in under my self-imposed ten day limit. On a completely unrelated note, I've grown tired of using ***** for my last name. From here on out, my full name is Dylan Owens. I may go back and change previous chapters. (But probably not.)**

**Anywho, enjoy the chapter!**

**The Elephant Moved Rooms**

"He did not!"

"By the spirits of air and darkness, he did."

"You're telling me he smuggled a cat onto the Citadel?"

"He sure did."

"And the reason C-Sec arrested him was for that and not for kidnapping you two?"

"Uh huh. If he hadn't smuggled that cat, he'd have harvested our organs. Simple as that. That cat saved our lives."

"Foiled by a cliché. What a joke."

And we laugh. The last half hour has been spent around the table in the mess hall with Ian and Garrus retelling their fantastic and hilarious tale. The whole squad is here, even Wrex! It's been a great time and a great way to start the trip to Noveria. Oh yeah, we're headed to Noveria next…might not have mentioned that. Well we are. According to Joker, we'll get there around 11:00 or 12:00, ship time. That gives us about a day's travel. After that, we're done with the first part of the game. After that is Virmire…

Fuck.

I don't think I'm ready for Virmire. Actually, I can't believe that we're almost there. It doesn't seem like I've been here that long…certainly not long enough to be at Virmire already. What the hell am I gonna do when the time comes? Do I try to tempt fate and canon by saving Ash or Kaidan? Do I consign myself to the fact that one of them has to die?

…

No. Fuck that. They're not just characters in a video game anymore; they're real people who I've come to consider friends. And besides, I've already fucked up canon enough just by being here; even more so by getting the vision from the beacon. If my very presence is gonna mess it all up, why hold back? So I'm gonna do my damndest to make sure that both Ash and Kaidan make it off Virmire alive. The fact that Jenny takes a squad of five on missions should help that a lot: When the time comes for her to make the choice, I tell her that I'll go and help the other one. That way, both bases are covered.

Alright…it feels good to have a game plan. Doesn't mean I'm still not terrified at the thought of Virmire being so close, but it lessens the terror slightly.

Anywho, for now, I'm not gonna worry about that. Now's the time to enjoy the company of the crew: my new family if I'm feeling dramatic and sappy. We spend over an hour around that table, telling the story of Ian and Garrus' little adventure. Once they're done regaling us, it's our turn. Ash, Wrex, and I spend about another hour telling our side of the story. Just like Ian and Garrus' half, no one can believe how horribly clichéd Saleon was.

Finally, after around two hours at that table, we all get up and scatter; off to do whatever we need to do. Jenny goes into her room, doing god knows what. Probably writing reports. Kaidan heads over to the med bay with a slightly pained expression. Poor guy probably has another migraine coming on. Liara also heads that way, but she's probably just going to her room. The rest of us—namely Ash, Ian, Garrus, Wrex, Tali, and I—all head to the elevator. Somehow we all manage to fit inside at the same time. It's actually not as cramped as I thought it'd be. I guess the elevator is roomier than I thought.

The door opens on the cargo deck, and Wrex, Tali and I step out. Tali immediately goes into engineering, and Wrex saunters over to his usual spot. I head over to the armory table that Ash usually works at, pulling my armor out of my locker and placing it on the table. I didn't really look over it after the rescue mission…not that we were ever really challenged. I don't think my shields broke once. Either way, I still need to give it a once over to admire the new look if nothing else. After a few minutes of checking the various systems in the armor, I hear the elevator open again. I ignore it and keep working. Then I hear footsteps approach the table, and I finally look up to see who it is. I see Ash walking over to me, and she looks…determined.

"Oh, hey Ash," I say, giving her a small wave as she gets closer. "What's up?" She comes to stand right in front of me before answering.

"Feros," she says with a hard edge to her voice. "We need to talk about it. Now." Uh oh…that doesn't sound too good. Neither does her tone of voice.

"Ok…" I start, hesitantly. I was still kinda hoping to put this conversation off as long as possible. "So which part did you want to talk about?" I ask, hoping beyond hope that it's not about what I think it is.

"How about the part where you called me beautiful?" she asks with a small frown. Damn…this might not end well. "Come on, Dylan, there's been an elephant in the room ever since the mission."

"You noticed it too, I guess," I say with a small chuckle, trying to alleviate my nervousness.

"Yeah, I did." Damn, not even a chuckle from her. "What did you mean by it?"

"It seems pretty straightforward…" I say, trying to give an answer without actually saying anything. That seems to throw her off a little.

"Oh," she says, scratching her head a little awkwardly. "Well, I thought you might have just said it in the heat of the moment, so I wanted to clear things up on your part." Damn…I don't want her to feel like I wasn't telling the truth…but I don't necessarily _want_ to tell the truth, either. Damn! I give a small sigh. Here goes nothing.

"Look, Ash, I guess I'll be honest here. This is a once and done thing, so...enjoy it while you can," I tell her with a small smile. "I guess some of it was heat of the moment—you _had_ just saved my life—but...I'd be lying if I said I didn't find you attractive." For some reason, she seems a little taken aback by my answer. Maybe she wasn't expecting such straightforwardness…then again, neither was I.

"Oh, right," she says, still sounding a bit confused. "Well, I…ok." She stops and takes a deep breath. "Thanks," she simply says. What? That…wasn't quite the answer I was expecting. I can't help but give a small chuckle of relief.

"No problem, Ash," I say. There's a pause where neither of us seem to know what to say. Finally, I can't take the silence anymore. "So is the elephant out of the room?"

"I think he sort of just moved into another one," she says with a small sigh. "I appreciate you being honest. And…" She pauses for a second while giving me a strange look. Then she gets a small smile and shakes her head a bit. "Never mind." Wait what? Oh no. No, no, no, no. Not that easy, little missy.

"Oh no you don't," I say, just a bit playfully. "You're not getting away that easily. Honesty for honesty." She gives a little pout—which looks really cute, I must admit—before answering.

"Fine. You're not bad. That's it." Then she grins. "And really annoying." Hey, I represent that remark! (Zing!) I just narrow my eyes.

"Well played. Well played indeed," I say, echoing one of the first things I ever said to her. I start to turn back to the table before I stop and turn back. "Oh, and thanks." Then I turn back around to my armor. I hear her chuckle before hearing her walk away, back to the elevator.

After I know she's gone, I stop examining my armor and move over to the wall next to the table. Leaning against the wall, I give a huge sigh and slide down to the ground. I can't believe that conversation just happened the way it did. First off, I managed to admit to being attracted to Ash without her killing me. Secondly, it seems the feeling is mutual. Now, I know that neither of us have expressed any sort of feelings—if there are any at all—but expressing a mutual attraction is honestly more than I ever thought would happen. I guess from here on out, we'll have to figure it out as we go along. I'll tell you one thing:

It'll be interesting to say the least.

* * *

The rest of the day passes by in a flurry of monotony. Seeing as this was my first time on the Normandy for an extended period (that I wasn't asleep for), I was straining to find things to do. I had a shift in Engineering from 16:00 to 22:00, so that managed to eat up a good portion of the day. Now that I'm done in there, I decide to head up to the mess to get some dinner. Then I'll probably hit the sack.

I walk into the mess and, surprisingly, see Kaidan sitting there, nursing a cup of coffee. Now that I think about it, I haven't really talked to Kaidan that much. Maybe I should fix that.

"Hey, Kaidan," I say, announcing my presence while going to get some food.

"Hey, kid. What are you doing up so late?" he asks. What? It's only 22:00.

"Just got off a shift in Engineering," I reply, grabbing some meatloaf and sitting down across from Kaidan. "So how you feeling? I saw you walking into the med bay earlier."

"I'm feeling better right now. The migraines come and go." Yeah, poor guy with his migraines. Wait, has he actually told me about them yet? I…don't think so.

"So it sounds like you get these migraines a lot," I comment.

"Yeah, this L2 implant came with a lot of baggage." I give a small grimace. I think any average citizen would know what having an L2 means, so it should be safe to react.

"Damn, I didn't know you were an L2," I say, once again concealing my real origins through lying. "Do you get anything worse than migraines?"

"Thankfully no," he says, and I can hear the relief that floods his voice. "I just get migraines every once in a while. Considering what _could_ have happened, I got lucky."

"Yeah, you sure are." After that, there's really nothing else to say, so I just sit there and eat my food while Kaidan nurses his coffee even longer. After a while, it's getting a little awkward just sitting here in silence. Luckily, before it reaches critical awkwardness, a door whooshes open. Looking up, I see Jenny walk out of her room and into the mess. She looks a little surprised to see us.

"What's up, Jenny?" I ask, giving her a small wave as she approaches.

"What are you two still doing up?" she asks, taking a seat next to Kaidan.

"I just got off a shift in Engineering," I tell her. For some reason she smiles. Something about that smile looks suspicious.

"Statement: one-love," she announces with a British accent. Oh she did not just start this…she's going down now.

"Why didn't you tell me we were playing?" I ask, taking up my own British accent.

"Why didn't you know already?"

"What on Earth is going on here?" Kaidan asks, sounding bewildered and slightly agitated. He asked a question, so he's safe…for now. Jenny and I share a look.

"Would you like to explain?" she asks, beating me to it. Damn…how am I gonna follow that up with a question? Let me see…

"Don't you think you're more qualified?"

"Qualified for what?" Kaidan interrupts, sounding slightly more frustrated. Once again, he asked a question, so he's safe. Beginner's luck.

"Should we take a timeout and explain it to him?" I ask, hoping she'll fall into my trap.

"We probably should," she replies, most likely without thinking. Gotcha.

"Statement: one-one." That earns me a nice mean look.

"Didn't you say we were taking a timeout?" Jenny asks.

"So we're supposed to ask questions?" Kaidan asks before I can respond to Jenny. I'm tempted to call non-sequitur on him…but I'll let it pass. I look at him.

"What do you think, Kaidan?" I ask, hoping for his sake that he takes the hint.

"Why can't you just tell me?" he asks, starting to sound seriously miffed.

"Isn't that against the rules?" Jenny asks.

"Do you even need to ask that?" I counter.

"Yes!" Kaidan shouts, finally letting his frustration bubble over.

"Statement: two-one-love," I say, including Kaidan in the score now. When playing in a group, I believe the person to call the foul gets the point.

"Isn't this fun?" Jenny asks, picking up the game again.

"You mean you aren't sure?" I ask.

"Can anyone be sure of anything?" Jenny asks. Hm…would that be considered rhetoric? Or maybe a non-sequitur. I think it was rhetoric.

"Foul, no rhetoric! Three-two-love, and game," I claim with a triumphant smile.

"Good game, Dylan," Jenny tells me with a smile of her own.

"Now that that's over, can one of you please tell me what the hell was going on?" Kaidan asks, still sounding a little miffed.

"It's a game from an old book Dylan and I have read," Jenny tells him. The goal is to keep asking questions. If you respond with a statement, a rhetorical question, or a non-sequitur, you get a foul and your opponent gets a point."

"It's a game to see who can think fast on their feet and improvise," I add.

"Well it was…interesting," Kaidan says after a bit of consideration. "I wouldn't call it fun, but that might have been not knowing the rules."

"Well now you know them for next time," Jenny says, cheerfully.

"Yeah. And as much as I'd love to stay and chat longer, I'm gonna go to bed. Talk to you guys tomorrow," I say, getting up from the table and putting my plate in the dishwasher.

"Ok, Dylan. Talk to you later," Kaidan says as I start walking to the elevator.

"Goodnight!" Jenny calls right before I go out of view.

When I reach my room, I lay down, falling asleep soon after.

* * *

Just like yesterday, I wake up of my own accord. Honestly, I forgot how good it felt to get a decent night's sleep. Opening my eyes and checking my omni-tool, I see that it's about 09:00. So I got around ten hours of sleep. Better than some nights I've had. Looking around the room, I see that Garrus and Kaidan are still sleeping. Hmm…I wonder where Ian went to so early. Eh, no matter.

Getting out of bed quietly to avoid waking Garrus or Kaidan, I grab a new set of Navy blues and a towel. Time to take a shower.

A half hour later, I emerge from the elevator onto the crew deck, ready for some breakfast. I'm actually really hungry for some reason, so I make a bee-line for the food, not bothering to look around. I think I'll have some pancakes this morning. Haven't had—

"Hello, Mr. Owens," a voice says from the table behind me. It takes everything I have not to jump or yell in surprise. I turn around to see Liara and Tali sitting at the table. Liara has a plate of…something…in front of her, and Tali is just sitting there, presumably eating some kind of nutrient paste.

"Liara, I thought I told you to call me Dylan," I tell the asari while grabbing my plate and taking a seat next to Tali.

"Oh, yes. I had forgotten. I am terribly sorry," she replies, actually sounding slightly ashamed for having forgotten.

"No, don't be sorry," I tell her. "It was an honest mistake. Besides, it's no big deal."

"Thank you." She still looks slightly embarrassed, but she sounds more relaxed. After that, the table descends into silence while we eat. About half way through my pancakes (I grabbed three), I finally decide to ask Liara what the hell she's eating. It almost looks like a kind of fruit.

"So Liara, I've gotta ask: What are you eating?" She looks a little surprised by my sudden question, but she recovers quickly.

"This is an assortment of fruits and berries from Thessia," she replies. Haha, I guessed right. "Shepard was kind enough to acquire some for me while we were on the Citadel."

"Hmm, sounds interesting," I say.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is it that you are eating?" Liara asks.

"I'm eating pancakes. They're essentially batter cooked on a heated surface," I explain, figuring that neither Liara nor Tali knows what a pancake is.

"That also sounds quite interesting. I may have to try one in the future."

"I highly recommend them," I say with a smile. These really are quite good. The table returns to silence as we return to our food. Though come to think of it, I'm not even sure if Tali _is_ eating. She's been pretty quiet so far. I look over at her, but I can't really tell anything behind the mask. Aw, what the hell. Might as well see if she's in a talkative mood.

"You've been pretty quiet so far, Tali," I comment, trying to make it sound offhand. She remains silent for a bit, so I guess she's not in a talkative mood.

"Sorry, I've been eating," she says.

"Oh. Sorry, didn't realize."

"It's alright. I understand that it can be hard to tell with the mask." Yeah, it kinda is. But I would never say that: It would be rude. Before I can think of a more tactful response, Jenny's voice comes over the radio.

"Would all ground team members please report to the comm. room," she orders. I guess it is getting close to our arrival time. Liara, Tali, and I share a look before wordlessly getting up from the table, heading towards the comm. room.

Upon our arrival, we find that we're the first ones here…well, besides Jenny. Without comment, we find our regular seats. Within ten minutes, everyone is in the room.

"Good morning," Jenny says once we're all seated. "Joker reports that we're about an hour out from Noveria. When we left, Alliance intel reported geth sightings in the area. That seemed a little thin, so I did some independent digging…using my newfound Spectre privileges." She gets a smug little grin at that. "It turns out that Saren is a major investor in Binary Helix, which has a large lab facility on the planet. It also turns out that a certain Matriarch arrived a few days ago to oversee some things." Liara gives a small gasp.

"Benezia is on Noveria?" she asks, sounding worried.

"She is," Jenny replies. "Whatever is on this planet, it's big enough for Saren's second in command to oversee it personally. We have to find out what."

"So what's the plan, Commander?" Kaidan asks.

"The only major port on the planet is Port Hanshan, so we basically _have_ to start there," she explains. "We do a little investigating, find out where this lab is, and then get going. Pretty straightforward."

"And who's on the roster, skipper?" Ash asks.

"I'm bringing Ian, Garrus, Liara, and Dylan." I'm on the team again? Awesome! That's three for three! Four for four if you count Eden Prime. "The four of you, suit up. The rest of you are dismissed." And with that, we all get up and file out.

Liara, Garrus, Ian, and I all head down to the elevator to get our gear. The ride is short, and we're soon on the cargo deck, pulling various weapons and pieces of armor out of our lockers. It takes me all of a minute to get the armor on. For the moment, I leave the mask off, but I pull up the rest of the head piece it connects to. All I need to do is put the mask in place when I'm ready to go full bamf mode. While grabbing my weapons, I look to see how the others are doing. Liara seems ready to go in her standard light armor. Garrus is decked out in his classic blue armor, sniper rifle and assault rifle on his back and ready to go. Ian, meanwhile, is…

Well, that's interesting.

Apparently Ian also decided to get some new armor. Instead of the old C-Sec armor he had, he has…he has what looks to be Blood Dragon armor. Damn. That's some serious style right there. It's just gun-metal grey with the classic swooping dragon coming in over his left shoulder. The only thing different is the helmet. It looks kind of like a medieval knight's helmet: somewhat boxy with three strips of blue going across at eye, nose, and mouth height. It looks oddly familiar, and now that I think about it, it looks like the armor around the neck has been bulked out a little bit. Well, whatever the inspiration for this new design was, it looks pretty badass. The combination of his new helm and my new mask should make for a terrifying sight.

"Nice new look, Ian," I say while finally deciding to put on my mask.

"Thanks, you too," he replies. "I noticed the mask when you came to rescue us, but I didn't have time to comment."

"Yeah, well, that's understandable." I pause for a second. "I gotta admit, we look pretty fucking badass."

"Hell yeah we do," he agrees with a chuckle.

"Why do you have to encourage him, Dylan?" Garrus asks. "Now that you've stoked his ego, he'll never shut up about it."

"Garrus! That hurts," Ian says in a mock-offended tone. "That hurts right here." He points to his heart.

"Yeah Garrus, can't you let the guy have some fun?" I ask, finding it rather fun to egg Garrus on.

"I'm fine with fun," he says. "But you haven't seen him after someone puts a crazy idea in his head."

"You just hate to admit how awesome I am," Ian says modestly. Garrus just sighs and lets it drop.

"If we are all ready, I believe we should make our way to the airlock," Liara says in the intervening silence.

"Probably a good idea," I say.

We enter the CIC shortly after, all decked out and ready to kick some ass. Apparently Joker made good time because Joker's talking to the port authorities when we get up towards the helm. Jenny's standing beside the airlock, watching Joker maneuver the Normandy into the atmosphere like a champ. Finally, he pulls into the hanger, and the ship shakes when the docking clamps come in place.

"Alright, team, let's go," Jenny says, her voice full of confidence. We all step into the airlock, ready to face whatever comes our way.

Noveria, here we come.

**A/N: So there ya go! Noveria is finally here. As a rough estimate, I'd say it'll take about the next four chapters. Also, Dylan and Ash finally had a little talk. Was it what you expected? **

**On that same note, I once again need to thank iNf3ctioNZ for providing a bit of help in this chapter. (Noticing a pattern?) Though this time, I asked him to dip into his feminine side to help with Ash's dialogue. So thanks, mate, as always!**

**Anywho, that's that. Some shenanigans at Port Hanshan are up next. Once again, guess about ten days. Until then, ta ta!**


	19. Party Time

**A/N: Got this one out in less than a week! I'm on a roll! Anywho, I'll save stuff for after the chapter. Enjoy!**

**Party Time**

Hmm…should I make the obligatory, "Holy crap it's cold on the freaking snow planet" comment?

…

Nah, that seems unnecessary. I think y'all are smart enough to guess that without me having to describe it.

Anywho, the five of us walk across the gangplank to the dock. Hopefully this goes better than the Feros docks did: I don't wanna go rocket dodging again. Now that I think about it, at least everything isn't grey here. Granted, there's a lot of it, but at least there are other colors. Following the docks, we pass numerous boxes and another berth, which is empty at the moment.

Rounding the corner, we can see the entrance to the actual port facilities. Unfortunately, we can also see the little welcoming committee that's waiting for us. A dark-haired human woman stands in the center, flanked by a blonde human woman and a turian male. Jenny just keeps on walking towards them, completely unfazed by their presence.

"That's far enough," the one in the middle says after we've apparently gone far enough. This is when Jenny finally seems to notice their existence at all. She complies, coming to a halt just a few feet away. The rest of us form up behind her.

"I'm not here to cause trouble," Jenny replies, using a tone I haven't heard before. Maybe that's her "good girl" voice…no, I can't picture her having a good girl voice. I'll call it her persuasion voice.

"This is an unscheduled arrival," the same one says. I'm pretty sure she's the captain. I also forget her name. "I'll need to see your credentials."

"How bout I see yours first," Jenny says, sounding a little sassy there.

"We're the law here," the woman to the side says indignantly. Isn't she the bitch that you get to kill later? I think so. "Show some respect." Jenny immediately turns towards her, probably leveling a stare of unheard of coldness at her. I think I can feel the chill from here…though maybe that's just all the fucking snow. Damn it! I said I wasn't gonna comment on the weather. Oh well. Hey look, more talking.

"I'm Captain Maeko Matsuo, Elanus Risk Control Services," the captain replies, ignoring her subordinate's lack of respect.

"I'm Council Spectre Jennifer Shepard," Jenny replies calmly. The blonde immediately looks at Captain Matsuo.

"Load of bullshit, ma'am," the bitch says. Oh my god, this is just like Feros: the calm leader is accompanied by a full out bitch of a second-in-command.

"We will need to confirm that," Matsuo tells her. Then she turns back to us. "Also, I must advise you that firearms are not permitted on Noveria. Sergeant Stirling, secure their weapons." The blonde starts to step forward. Oh no you don't, bitch. Before she even takes a step, all of us have our weapons drawn. Jenny pulls out a pistol and aims right at Matsuo. The rest of us draw whatever comes easiest to hand and point them at one of the other two guards. Those two guards respond quickly by drawing their own weapons. Matsuo, however, remains calm and unarmed. We stay like this for a few seconds before I break the silence.

"You probably don't want to do that." Unfortunately, Jenny—being the paragon that she is—has to ruin the moment.

"Squad, stand down," she orders. "We're not here to cause problems." As she says this, she lowers her pistol. The rest of us, on the other hand, keep our weapons drawn and trained at the guards.

"Are you sure, Shepard?" Garrus asks, sounding slightly unsure if that's the best idea. I kinda agree with Garrus on this one. The others seem to as well. Before Jenny can answer, or anyone can start shooting, a voice rings over the intercom.

"Captain Matsuo, stand down," the voice says. And there's Ms. Parasini. I rather liked her in the game. She knew how to get things done. "We've confirmed their identity. Spectres are authorized to carry weapons here, Captain." There's an almost palpable silence hanging in the air after Parasini makes that announcement. Finally, Matsuo seems to find her voice.

"You may proceed, Spectre," she says, giving her companions a signal to stand down. "I hope the rest of your visit will be less confrontational. Parasini-san will meet you upstairs."

"Better behave yourself," Stirling mutters, keeping up her bitch persona. Then the group of guards breaks up and returns to their original posts. We all kinda stand there looking at each other, wondering if all that actually just happened. Seriously, one second, we're about to start a firefight, and the next, they're letting us go with only a minor warning. That's weird.

Finally, Jenny just shrugs and starts walking into the main building. The rest of us follow like good little soldiers. Entering the lobby, I can see that the people here like the luxuries. I mean, there's a freaking fountain/waterfall thing right in front of the door. It all seems very wasteful, and Tali would probably be pulling her hair out at the waste of resources…shut up, you know what I mean.

We ascend the stairs on the right side of the fountain to see the hallway narrow considerably. In addition, there are two little drones floating on the wall on either side. They're scanning the entrance to the hall, which means they're probably weapons scanners. As Jenny crossed the beams, they start wailing, pretty much confirming my suspicion.

"Weapons detectors: don't mind the alarm," Parasini says from behind a counter off to our left. Recognizing the voice, Jenny turns to talk to the woman. "I am Gianna Parasini, assistant to Administrator Anoleis. We apologize for the incident in the docking bay."

"Thanks for getting us through," Jenny says.

"You're welcome," the "assistant" says. I always did like Parasini. "You understand that our security chief was only doing her job. One of my duties is orientation of new arrivals. Do you have any questions?"

"I've heard reports that a Matriarch Benezia has passed through here recently," Jenny says, probably trying to make it sound offhand. "Is that true?"

"Yes. Lady Benezia arrived about a week ago," Parasini answers. "She was here to oversee some activity at Binary Helix's labs at Peak 15."

"And what are they researching at Peak 15?" Jenny asks. Nice try, but they would never tell anyone something that would compromise their client's privacy.

"I'm sorry, even if we knew what was going on at Peak 15, we would be obligated to keep it a secret." Nice try, Jenny.

"Well my team and I need to speak to Benezia," she says, sounding slightly impatient. "How do we get to Peak 15?"

"You would need to acquire a garage pass to leave the port facilities right now," Parasini explains. "The current weather conditions have hindered most forms of transport."

"And how would I go about getting one of those?"

"You would need to speak to Administrator Anoleis."

"Alright…when can I speak to him?" Gianna consults the terminal in front of her. Her fingers fly across the interface for a few seconds before she looks up.

"His earliest opening is tomorrow at 5:00 AM," she tells us. Wait, what? Tomorrow? What the hell? I thought we could go see that arrogant bastard right away! I mean, Jenny's a Spectre, for cryin' out loud!

"Tomorrow?" Jenny asks, sounding just as astonished as I feel. "Ms. Parasini, I'm not sure you understand the gravity of this situation. Seeing Matriarch Benezia is a matter of galactic importance and security."

"I'm sorry, Spectre, but procedure is procedure. Administrator Anoleis is completely full for the rest of the day." Even though I'm behind her, I can just picture the incredulous look on Jenny's face right now. That's because it probably mirrors my own fairly well. I honestly can't believe that they're stonewalling a Spectre with procedure. Don't they realize that procedure is merely a formality to Spectres? It's something to be used when appropriate and discarded when it becomes a hindrance.

"Ms. Parasini, I must insist," Jenny starts, but she's interrupted by Gianna.

"No, Spectre, _I_ must insist," the undercover agent says, hotly. "Noveria is not part of Council Space. We allow the Spectres to retain most of their privileges, but on some things, we will not compromise." She stops and takes a deep breath, calming herself. "Should I put you down for the 5:00 AM meeting?" Jenny continues to stare at the woman before finally sighing.

"Fine, we'll be there," Jenny says, sounding tired of this whole mess.

"Wonderful. If you would like a night off of your ship, we have a wonderful hotel here at Port Hanshan. I can arrange lodging for your crew, if you'd like."

"Do you have rooms for 57 people?" Jenny asks. Really? There are 57 people on the Normandy? That seems like a lot. Gianna checks the terminal again.

"We do, in fact, have 15 available rooms," she responds. "If my math is correct, that should put four in a room—which is easily done—while giving you a room to yourself."

"We'll take them," Jenny says. "You can send the bill to the Council."

"Also, the hotel bar is open to all guests," Parasini mentions as we start to walk away. Did she just say bar?

This should be interesting.

* * *

Well this is interesting.

We're at the bar, and…maybe I should explain how we got here first.

After finishing up with Parasini, the five of us went straight to the hotel. Upon arrival, Jenny called Joker to tell him to make the announcement for a bit of shore leave to the rest of the ship. Garrus, Ian, and I decided to room together, just like on the Normandy. We would ask Kaidan when he got here. By the time we got back to the bar after checking out our room, we saw the whole fucking crew there. Ok, maybe not _everyone_, but most of them. Kaidan agreed to room with us, and, being the saint he is, had already brought the three of us some civvies. We went up and changed, and now we're here in the bar having a good time.

Someone—probably Joker—thought to bring a deck of cards, so now Ian, Garrus, Wrex, Joker, Kaidan, and I are sitting at a table playing Skyllian Five. Garrus and Wrex are also getting hammered. Kaidan and Joker are having a few drinks, too. Hell, even I'm having some. Apparently the drinking age is 18 here, so it's all legal. Wrex is slamming down the ryncol, Garrus is downing some kind of turian alcohol with equal fervor, and Kaidan and Joker are just drinking some beer. I, on the other hand, am contently sipping some apple pie. I was honestly surprised that the bartender knew what that even was (vodka mixed with apple cider, apple juice, cinnamon, and sugar). But hey, I'm not complaining.

Anywho, we've only been playing for a few minutes, and no one is too far up or down. Though Ian, being the only purely sober one here, is the current leader. We each brought 500 credits to the table, so there's a 2500 credit profit to whoever wins. Like I said, no one has a huge lead, and we're mostly playing for fun. There's also an ever-present stream of banter flowing around the table.

After about a half hour, Wrex and Garrus are on their fifth glasses of liquor. Kaidan and Joker have gone through about one and a half bottles each, and I'm still working on my first apple pie. I know too well the consequences of drinking this stuff too fast. It'll fuck you up.

An hour later, and I'm surprised Garrus and Wrex can even think, let alone play poker. I'm also surprised that no one has won already. We're pretty much the last of the Normandy crew here: only Jenny and Ash remain in the bar. The rest of the bar is filled with bigwigs in suits. It's not that late—ship time—but apparently it's almost midnight here on Noveria…damn. That means we're gonna have to see Anoleis in about five hours.

Anywho, Joker and Kaidan have now downed three beers each, and I'm on my second glass. I manage to win a fairly big hand against Wrex, and I see a scowl on his face as I'm raking in the chips. As Wrex (somehow) deals the next hand, he speaks up.

"So Dylan…have you fucked the chief yet?" Of course, I was taking a drink at that exact moment, so I spend the next few seconds trying not to choke. The others burst into laughter, both at Wrex's comment and my choking. Finally, I can breathe enough to respond.

"Wrex, what the hell kind of question is that?" I ask, giving him an incredulous look.

"Don't play dumb with me, boy," he responds. "I've seen you two together. Also happened to overhear a conversation not too long ago. She all but ripped her clothes off for you, kid." That, of course, earns another howl of laughter from the rest of the table, along with a few jeers in my direction.

"It was just a…mutual attraction," I say, trying to save some face. "There was nothing about fucking at all!"

"You've gotta learn to read body language," he says with an evil grin. Oh no…this can't be good. "And with as much as you look at her body, I thought you'd be pretty good by now." I just put my face in my hands, listening to the uproar of laughter.

"I had no idea you had it in you, Dylan," Ian says next to me, nudging me in the ribs.

"At least he tries to fuck females," Wrex interrupts, giving Ian a pointed look. "You might as well climb in the turian's lap. Actually, I'm surprised you're sitting down at all." This time, everyone but Ian starts to laugh. For some reason, even Garrus is laughing. He's probably too drunk to realize that he's part of the joke too.

"I'll have you know I had a girlfriend before joining Shepard!" Ian replies, indignantly.

"A boy named Sue?" Joker asks with a huge grin plastered on his face. I can't believe how much we're laughing. The card game has stopped because we're too focused on the trading of insults. We also can't breathe because of the laughter.

"You couldn't even get a male, cripple, let alone a female," Wrex tells the pilot. While that seemed a little harsh, we still laugh. Kaidan looks a little uncomfortable, though.

"Really, Wrex? A cripple joke? I thought you were better than that," Joker retorts, letting the insult slide right off him like a pro.

"Yeah, Wrex, that was a little harsh," Kaidan says. Oh no…now it's Kaidan's turn to get a new one ripped.

"You're not getting any, either, pretty boy," Wrex says, starting the attack. "That fur on your head would send any female into a fit of laughter. Who'd want to fuck you then?"

"Yeah, well, at leas' all vus aren' imptent," Garrus stutters drunkenly, looking at Wrex. "I…I'd like to see you 'ave kidseses, Wrex."

…

Oh shit. That can't be good.

Before anything else even has a chance to happen, Wrex leans across the table and decks Garrus right in the face. Understandably, Garrus goes flying onto the ground from the force of the punch. The rest of us immediately get to our feet, wary about what could happen.

Garrus regains his feet with surprising speed, and all traces of drunkenness are gone from his eyes. He slowly approaches Wrex, who hasn't left his seat. Calmly, Wrex rises to face Garrus. Shit, this isn't going to end well…

The former C-Sec detective throws the first punch. In an almost tragic display of narrative causality, Wrex dodges, and Garrus ends up nailing the guy sitting behind Wrex. The poor bastard goes out like a light. Predictably, the guy's buddies all get up in shock, and in anger, they start towards Garrus. In a surprising display of solidarity, Wrex goes to stand next to Garrus. The angry dudes must either be really angry or really drunk because they surge forward to start the fight.

Now, I have no idea how this happens, but in the span of five minutes, the entire bar is fighting. Somehow, it's the Normandy crew versus everyone else in the damn bar. Like I said, I have no freaking clue how it got to this point, but I don't have time to dwell on it, seeing as I just narrowly dodged a punch to the nose. I yank on the arm, pulling the guy into position for me to knee him in the balls. He falls to the ground, whimpering. Looking for someone else to fight, I see Wrex bash two skulls together, Garrus roundhouse kick some poor bugger, and Ian freaking dropkick a dude! This really is the quintessential bar fight.

Seeing a guy try to come up behind Kaidan, I walk up and deliver a quick jab to his kidney. That sends him to the floor, but I give him a kick to the ribs to keep him down. Kaidan turns around at the noise and gives me a grin. Suddenly, his fist strikes out right over my shoulder, and I hear a meaty impact right behind my ear. Turning my head, I see another random fighter go down to the ground. I give Kaidan a pat on the shoulder and head back into the fray.

Fifteen minutes later, the Normandy crew exits the bar. We probably look like a sorry bunch, but you should see the other guys. But seriously, we're not exiting that bar without some marks: I've got plenty of bruises plus a split lip to deal with. Kaidan and Ian fared similarly. Garrus actually got cut across the arm by a bastard with a broken beer bottle. I can't really tell what happened to Wrex: he looks so beat to hell anyway that I can't tell if there are any new additions. Oh yeah, and Joker somehow managed to get away from the fight fast enough not to get killed.

The six of us stumble through the hotel to our rooms. Garrus, Ian, Kaidan, and I enter our chosen room and just crash. We all stagger to our chosen sleeping sites. My head hits the pillow, and I'm out like a light.

* * *

An unholy banging awakes me from my heavenly slumber. Luckily, it soon stops, so I attempt to fall back asleep. Life seems to hate me, however, because the knocking restarts with more fervor. After about thirty seconds of continuous pounding, during which a major headache starts to flare up, I stagger out of bed and over to the door. I look out the peep-hole (yes, they still have those in the future) and see Jenny and Liara standing outside in the hallway.

Wait…why is Jenny here? And why is she in armor? Hold on…

Ah fuck. Suddenly, that headache reminds me that it's still there, and I screw my eyes shut and pinch the bridge of my nose. After a few seconds, it goes away. Damn, I think I drank too much last night. I open the door before the pain has a chance to come back.

"Hello," I say weakly with an equally weak smile. "How can I help you?"

"The meeting with Anoleis is in ten minutes," she says, sounding impatient. "You have three minutes to get ready." Wait, three minutes? What the hell? "If that's not enough time, you can stay behind for this mission," she adds, probably reading my incredulous look. I continue to stare blankly at her before my mind finally registers what she just said. I'm off and moving before I realize what I'm doing.

Closing the door, I run back into the room and wake Ian and Garrus. Ian, who didn't touch a drink all night, immediately starts getting into his armor. Garrus, on the other hand, is much slower to react. He doesn't seem as hung over as I thought he'd be, but he still seems out of it. After a frantic three minutes, the three of us manage to get into our armor and grab our weapons. Once again true to narrative causality, we exit the door right as Jenny's timer goes off. As soon as the door closes, Jenny starts walking.

We enter Anoleis' office with about two minutes to spare. Parasini is sitting behind a desk, typing away at a terminal. At the sound of our footsteps, she looks up.

"Ah, Spectre, you're right on time," the woman says. Administrator Anoleis is waiting for you." With that, she goes right back to her terminal. Jenny just keeps walking into the Administrator's office.

"You will forgive me if I don't stand up," the little salarian says as we enter. "While I commend you for going through the correct procedures, you will understand that my cooperation only extends so far."

"All I need is a garage pass," Jenny says, sounding tired already. "I need to get to Peak 15."

"Then I assume you wish to see Matriarch Benezia."

"Yes. Is there anything you can tell me about her?" Jenny asks, trying to wheedle out any scraps of information.

"She arrived here about a week ago with some cargo and a personal escort," Anoleis replies.

"What sort of cargo?"

"Large, heavy, and sealed," he replies, sounding a little snippy. "It passed all our scanners. Beyond that, it is not our place to ask." It was worth a try, Jenny.

"So can I just get that garage pass?" Jenny asks again, starting to sound a little snarky.

"I'm afraid you cannot," he says, quite calmly. That motherfucker! I thought that us having to wait would mean we could get a pass right away! This guy is definitely going down now.

"And why can't I?" Jenny asks, her voice suddenly getting almost deathly quiet.

"There is a blizzard in the area. Shuttles are grounded and surface transport is cut off." Jenny just continues to stare right at Anoleis. To his credit, the bastard meets her gaze with one of her own.

Finally, Jenny simply turns on her heel and walks out. Not wanting to stay in a room with that bureaucratic bastard.

As we're catching up to Jenny, Parasini's voice causes us all to stop.

"Mr. Anoleis isn't the only one with a garage pass," she says, sounding completely casual about it. Jenny slowly turns around to give the secretary a piercing stare. "Talk to Lorik Qui'in. He should be up at the bar." Oh no…not the bar again. I get the feeling that the bartender might not like us after last night.

"Thank you, Ms. Parasini." And we walk out. Time to get that pass.

* * *

This is a really nice elevator. I mean _really_ nice. Like, I would have an elevator like this if I needed an elevator. Wait…have I told you guys how I got here? I…don't think so. So yeah, we went to see Qui'in, and he could be one of the chillest dudes I have ever met. He told us about his problem, so now we're riding the elevator up to his office. We need to retrieve some…information from his office that could help our cause.

Should be easy…right? No, probably not. I remember this kind of being a bitch. At least we get to kill that one bitch from the entrance. So that's a plus.

Anywho, the elevator opens and the five of us walk out. The elevator puts us out into a long hallway. We walk through the door at the end of the hall and enter the office itself. Right in front of the entrance, there are two ERCS guards standing there. They turn towards us at the sound of the door opening.

"I'm sorry, this office is currently under investigation," one of the guards says. Like idiots, they also start to draw their weapons. "We're gonna have to ask you to leave."

"Do you really want to do that?" Jenny asks in a quiet voice. She's not even making a move for her weapons. "I'll give you two one chance to walk away. Think about it: two of you…five of us." The guards share a look.

"Fuck this," the same one says. "We ain't getting paid to die for this shit." And with that, they start to walk out. Once they're gone, we continue farther into the office. It really is a nice office: it's very big. It's the same, angular style that everything else on this planet is, but it's still aesthetically pleasing.

We search all through the bottom floor for the terminal that Qui'in told us to find. If I remember correctly, it's on the second floor, but I can't really tell the others that…can I? To answer my own question, no, I can't. So we're stuck going through a systematic check of every room in this damn office. At least we've finished the first floor. Time for the second.

Now that I think about it, aren't there other guards besides those first two? I could have sworn that there were others. Maybe they're—

BANG!

Holy shit! Apparently I was right! As soon as we reached the upper floor, a shot came from behind a desk. Before we can react to what just happened, about five guards exit from cover and start firing on us.

It's a short fight.

I can tell that these guards aren't really used to actual combat because they're staying out of cover way to long. As we start shooting at them, their shields seem to be broken quite fast. It only takes me two shots from my Mattock to rip through one of their shields. Jenny has, once again, decided to use her sniper rifle indoors at close range, and let me tell you, it has a devastating effect on these poor bastards. A single shot rips through shields with enough energy left to kill. It's actually frightening how effective it is.

About twenty seconds later, and the guards are dead. Without so much as a second thought, we continue searching the office. Finally, in the last room we search (would narrative causality have it any other way?) we find the terminal with the data. Jenny quickly uploads it to an OSD that Qui'in gave us, and we start on our way back. If memory serves, this is where Bitch-Pants McCrabby 2.0 shows up.

And lo! For there she stands like a bitch in the night with two cronies standing behind her. This is where she and Jenny verbally spar for a few lines before we kick her ass.

"I knew we shouldn't have let you keep your weapons," McCrabby says with a contemptuous tone and a sneer on her face. "Well we'll show you what we do to cop-killers around here." Ok, now it's Jenny's turn. I wonder what kind of snappy comeback—

BANG!

Holy fuck! Jesus motherfucking Christ! She…she doesn't have a head anymore! And there stands Jenny, smoking sniper rifle in hand. I…I…what the fuck!

"Leave," Jenny tells the other two guards in a deathly quiet voice. "If you tell anyone, you'll end up like your boss here." Without a moment's hesitation, the two nod and run like fuck.

And with that, we walk out of the office.

I guess Qui'in'll have to deal with bloodstains on the carpet.

**A/N: So yeah, there's the first chapter of Noveria. Next up is busting Anoleis, a Mako ride, and a little bit of the first lab. Should be fun. So, uhh...yeah. I guess that's pretty much it. Not a whole lot to say about this one, I suppose.**

**Oh yeah, before I forget, WttF is almost at 150 reviews (149 at the time of this writing). I just wanna thank all of my reviewers again. Seriously, you guys (and girls) rock. I never imagined that this story would be so popular when I started out. So once again, thanks.**

**Anywho, that's it for this chapter. See you all again for the next one!**


	20. Into the Dark

**A/N: So this is slightly over my self-imposed ten day schedule, but school really piled it on in the last few days before Christmas. This chapter will see the conclusion of Port Hanshan, as well as some other things. As a disclaimer, there is another philosophical discussion in this chapter. Once again, the views expressed within said discussion are solely mine and are not meant to offend.**

**Anywho, enjoy the chapter!**

**Into the Dark**

Here we stand in the slowly descending elevator. We got the data for Lorik Qui'in after a small firefight and an…interesting encounter. I still can't believe that Jenny did that to Stirling. I mean…we were gonna kill her anyway…and I suppose if it happened like the game we would have killed those other two. So I guess Jenny's brutal method actually saved a few people. Huh. I guess that's something to think about: sometimes it takes extreme measures to do good.

Anywho, my silly contemplations come to an end when the elevator door opens on the lobby floor. As we walk out, we catch sight of Parasini standing in the path to the rest of the port. If I'm not mistaken (and I haven't been so far…mostly) this is where we first start to learn that she probably isn't a normal secretary.

"Commander," she says as we walk up. "I've heard reports of noise coming from the Synthetic Insights office. I was wondering if you could shed some light on the situation."

"I've been talking to my good friend, Li, for about a half hour," Jenny replies, sounding completely innocent. The best part is, she's technically not lying: we did talk to the turian mechanic before going to the SI office. He even agreed to cover for us. "I'm afraid I don't know what could have made the noise." Parasini just gives Jenny a long look before answering.

"I see. Well, if you suddenly remember anything, talk to me up in the hotel bar. Before you talk to Qui'in. I'll be waiting." And then she walks off. We just stand there for a bit, trying to figure out what just happened. Well, I'm not, but I'm sure everyone else is.

"Ok, guys. What do you think?" Jenny asks the rest of us.

"I think we should see what Parasini wants," Ian says. Well that's good. At least some of the others can see that something might be a little off.

"I'm with Ian on that one," I add, throwing my two cents in.

"If this is one of Ian's little gut feelings—" Garrus starts.

"Which it is," Ian interrupts.

"Then I'm inclined to trust it. They tend to be correct."

"I suppose it cannot hurt to speak with Ms. Parasini," Liara says, topping off the opinions. Jenny just looks at each of us before answering.

"Well then I guess it's settled. We'll see what Parasini wants before giving the data back to Qui'in." Alright, now we can throw that bastard Anoleis in jail. Good choice, team.

We walk through the port proper, getting evil looks from all the stiffs standing here and there. The walk to the hotel elevator is fairly short, and, luckily, so is the elevator ride itself. Entering the bar, we see that Qui'in is still sitting at his table, drinking some dextro booze, and Parasini is off on the other side of the bar. With our game plan already in place, we walk over to the "secretary".

"Allow me to reintroduce myself," she starts off once we get close enough. "Parasini: Noveria Internal affairs."

"I'm honestly not very surprised you're not a secretary," Jenny comments. "But why the game?"

"Look, the Executive Board knows of Anoleis' corruption. I've been undercover for six months," she explains, finally coming clean about everything. "I want you to get Qui'in to testify before the Board. With his evidence, this planet can run profitably again."

"You need his testimony, I need his garage pass," Jenny counters. "I can't get that pass without giving him the evidence."

"You get him to testify, and I can get you anything you need," the Internal Affairs agent responds. Jenny doesn't answer for a while, instead staring intently at Parasini. I can almost see her brain weighing each and every option. Finally, after about thirty seconds, she answers.

"Alright, Parasini. You'll have Qui'in's testimony." She pauses for a second, still fixing the agent with that same gaze. "You do know what will happen if you try to screw me over." The way she says it, I can tell that there should be no confusion as to the answer. To Parasini's credit, she doesn't flinch from the blatant threat.

"Certainly, Spectre. Now, you know where to find me when you've secured Qui'in's testimony. See you soon," she says, starting to walk away. We let her go, waiting a bit before going to talk to Qui'in.

While we're standing here, I let my mind start to wander. I've started to notice a certain…renegade trend in Jenny lately. I saw the first few hints on Feros with Arcelia. Then again today with Stirling and Parasini. Though come to think of it, in all three instances, someone's been trying to impede our progress. Maybe she's a paragon until someone tries to get in her way. Personally, I think that's the best way to be. A pure paragon is too much of a wuss, and a pure renegade is too much of a bitch. I likes me a pargade.

Anywho, I guess it's time to talk to Qui'in.

"Always a pleasure, Spectre," the turian says, looking up from his drink. Have I mentioned that I love Qui'in's voice? Because I love Qui'in's voice. The fact that his voice actor also voices Sovereign makes it that much cooler. Oh look, he's still talking. "Any news on that little matter I asked you to look into?"

"I got the data," Jenny tells him. He gets an excited look on his face before Jenny's next words dash whatever hopes he had. "But I have an idea. Why not use that data to convict Anoleis?"

"I don't think I'll do that," he replies. "So give me my data."

"But think of it, Lorik. You'd be the hero of Noveria! Nobody likes Anoleis. Hell, you even have the Internal Affairs office backing you. Noveria is chafing under Anoleis' extortion. Imagine how grateful the Executive Board would be if you helped get rid of him." Qui'in is silent for a while, and even though I'm not the best at reading turian facial expressions, I can tell that he's mulling the idea over. Finally he sighs.

"Fine. Contact who you must. I will remain here."

"Thank you, Lorik. This will benefit all of Noveria," Jenny says, turning towards the elevator.

Time to go bag us a douche.

* * *

"This is an outrage!" Anoleis yells as Parasini manhandles him. Since when did Anoleis turn into Ambassador Udina? Oh well, they're both bastards, so they're pretty much interchangeable. "I'll make sure you never work in this sector again!"

"Yeah, yeah, get a move on," Parasini says, sounding tired of Anoleis' prattle. She starts leading him out of the office while the squad is watching with barely repressed glee.

"You! Shepard! I demand you place this bitch under arrest!" The ex-administrator shouts at us. Without even changing expressions, Jenny raps him across the face with an armored fist. The little salarian goes limp immediately.

"Thanks, Shepard," Giana says, walking out while dragging Anoleis behind her. "See you around the galaxy. I owe you a beer."

"Well, that was fun," I say after she leaves the room. "Not only did we finally get a garage pass, we also managed to throw a total bastard in jail."

"And that's exactly why Ian and I loved C-Sec," Garrus comments. "That feeling of satisfaction when you put a criminal behind bars."

"I know I certainly fell better after that," Jenny adds. "Though that might have been from punching him." The rest of us chuckle at that. "But we finally have a garage pass, so we can _finally_ go see what's going on at Peak 15. Let's get going."

The five of us stroll out of Anoleis' former office and head towards the garage. Jenny gives Li a little nod as we pass by him. Approaching the guarded door to the garage, Jenny flashes the pass, and the guard opens the door without comment. Entering the garage, we see an old, disabled IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) off to the left. We also start to hear a familiar sound: a certain kind of mechanical whirring and sputtering. Immediately, we all pull out our weapons of choice: Jenny and Garrus reach for their sniper rifles, Liara and Ian pull out their pistols, and I grab my trusty Mattock.

Unfortunately, there are very few chest-high walls around us. That seems inconsiderate. If there's gonna be a fight here, shouldn't there be some chest-high walls? The nerve of some people, not giving us enough chest-high walls to have a decent, Mass Effect style fight. Sigh. I guess we're gonna have to do this the first-person-shooter-way. And by that, I mean kill everything as fast as possible, trying not to get caught in a hail of deadly bullets.

So yeah, Jenny and Garrus take the only two crates near the door, setting up their sniper rifles. Ian starts heading over towards Garrus, and Liara and I move over to Jenny, who's set up fairly close to the IFV. Wait a second…isn't the cannon of this thing still working? I look quickly at the vehicle, and…well that sucks. With a closer inspection of the cannon, I see that there isn't one. Well there goes that idea. Though I suppose that doesn't mean it wouldn't make good cover. Making my decision, I run over to the useless vehicle right as the geth start firing at us.

From behind the IFV, I'm almost flanking the geth, putting me in a great position to do some damage. Looking around my makeshift cover, I see about ten total geth: four regular, three shock, one sniper, one rocket, and…god damn it. One destroyer. Since the geth have just as little cover as we do, the sniper, rocket, and one shock trooper are the only ones behind cover. The rest are constantly moving and ducking and shooting. Actually, that's a lie. The rest of them—besides the destroyer—are doing that. The destroyer is currently charging.

Right at me.

…

Fuck.

Ok, gotta stay calm, gotta think, gotta act rationally…fuck! Without any real conscious thought, I start shooting at the charging behemoth. At the same time, I start shouting random expletives over the radio.

"Holy piss shit, someone please help against this big-ass fucking robot thing!"

I get no verbal response, but some of the fire from the rest of the squad is diverted to the charging destroyer. I'm still firing away with my Mattock, but this thing's shields must be amazing: I'm still seeing the blue outline catch my shots. Finally, the damn thing gets close enough where I don't want to stick around. I simply turn and start running, once again yelling into the radio.

"I'm coming in hot! Some help would be very nice right about now!"

Suddenly, a large force impacts my back. I go flying to the ground, right out in the open. Before I can get up, I feel a crushing weight pin me to the ground. The force is so great that I can't breathe. This can't end well, though I'm surprised I'm not dead already. I know that the destroyer has me pinned, so I literally have zero chance of defending myself. Of all the ways I could be killed here in the Mass Effect universe, this seems like one of the most pointless. Am I valiantly risking my life to save a squad mate? No. Am I staying behind, giving the team time to get out of a sticky situation? No. Hell, I don't even get to go down in a blaze of bullets after singlehandedly destroying dozens of geth. I get to be brutally slaughtered in a pointless skirmish on some planet in the ass of the galaxy.

HELLO.

Oh fuck. I guess that proves it. I'm going to die.

WELL, THE POTENTIAL EXISTS.

Wait, what? But…you're here. Why would you be here if I wasn't going to die?

COS OF QUANTUM.

…

What?

QUANTUM. IT SAYS THAT EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS UNCERTAIN, INCLUDING DEATH. THERE IS THE _POSSIBILITY_ THAT YOU WILL DIE. THEREFORE, I MUST MAKE AN APPEARANCE.

…

_What!_

PERSONALLY, I FIND IT A BIT MESSY. I LIKE CERTAINTY. ALL THIS QUANTUM BUSINESS MAKES EVERYTHING SO…COMPLICATED.

So I have a chance to get out of this situation?

YES. YOU ALSO HAVE AN EQUAL CHANCE OF DYING HORRIBLY. YOU WON'T KNOW TILL IT HAPPENS. WELL LOOK AT THAT. THAT CERTAINLY IS UNEXPECTED.

From nowhere, a loud, incoherent yell resounds across the small battlefield, followed shortly after by the sharp report of a sniper rifle. The weight lessens slightly and suddenly disappears completely. Without questioning my amazing fortune, I manage get up and run over to the cover Jenny and Liara are using. Vaulting the small crate, I just sit against it, trying to get my heart to stop trying to beat itself out of my chest. Holy fuck. I cannot believe that I'm still alive. All around me, the sound of battle rages, but honestly, I'm still too high on the adrenaline to be of any use. Seriously, I can't keep my hands steady: I couldn't aim my Mattock for shit.

Slowly, the sound of battle starts to die down. Finally, after a few minutes, everything goes completely silent. I'm still sitting against the crate, taking deep breaths and trying to stop the shaking. I'm only vaguely aware of events that appear to be happening now that the fight is over: the door to the garage opening, angry guards coming in, a heated discussion, Jenny berating the guards for incompetence, and some other things that I wasn't really paying attention to. Finally the stuff at the door ends, and the rest of the squad comes over to where I'm still sitting.

"You ok, Dylan?" Jenny asks, squatting down right in front of me.

"Yeah," I breathe out. "That really was too close. So who do I have to thank for saving my life?"

"That would be Shepard and Liara," Garrus tells me. "Shepard blew the destroyer's head off, and Liara threw it off you."

"Well thanks, you two," I say, looking at the two women who saved my life.

"You are more than welcome, Dylan," Liara says with a smile. "I am sure you would have done the same for me."

"What she said," Jenny adds. "So are you alright to keep going?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. Still just a tad shaky."

"That's fine," she says, helping me up off the ground. "You can sit in the back and enjoy the ride." Oh shit, I forgot about the Mako ride. I also just realized that this is my first time riding in the Mako. Oh please let Mako physics not be a real thing.

As we start walking to the Mako, Jenny starts giving seating assignments. "Garrus, you'll be next to me working navigation and any other tech stuff. Ian, I want you on the main gun. Dylan and Liara, you two get to sit back and have fun doing nothing."

Entering the Mako, I head into the back with Liara while Jenny, Garrus, and Ian all head up front. I quietly take my seat against one wall, and Liara takes the one across from me. Withing moments, I feel the Mako start to move.

Ok, everything seems fine so far, but we haven't really done anything yet, so I guess it's still too early to tell.

After a few minutes, we still haven't encountered any geth, and there have been no instances of Mako physics. All the turns have been smooth, the jumps simple, and the landings perfect. Honestly…I'm a little disappointed. I was sorta looking forward to a wild ride. Maybe it'll get better when there are enemies. But until then, I need something to do; sitting here is getting boring.

"So Liara," I say, getting the attention of said asari, "do you want to continue that discussion we started before Feros?" The young doctor seems to brighten at the suggestion.

"Why certainly, Dylan," she replies. "Was there a specific topic you wished to discuss?"

I shrug. "Eh, not really. I just want something to do while we're waiting. Is there anything you want to talk about?"

"Well, after our last discussion about the nature of truth, I'm quite curious about your views on ethics."

"Interesting choice," I say, nodding slightly while trying to gather my thoughts on that subject into a coherent explanation. "Was there a specific part of ethics you wanted to address?"

"More specifically, I suppose, the topic of justice. To begin, I will pose this question: Is justice implemented to protect the innocent or to punish the guilty."

"Wow. Hmm…that's an interesting question. I can't say I've considered that before." I pause and remain silent for a bit, once again trying to realign my thoughts. "I'm not really sure it's either one of those. I'm not even sure there's a single definition of justice."

"Really? How so?"

"To me, justice is a creation of society. At his base state, man is inherently greedy and selfish and will only do what benefits him. Only when they come together do concepts like justice and ethics start to have meaning. So to me, every society creates different concepts of justice. For example, in humanity's first written code of justice, it was normal practice for a thief to have his hands cut off. Hell, now that I think about it, most of the punishments were death. Not very acceptable to today's standards."

"You say that society defines justice. You also say that an individual is inherently bad. In this case, how does a society even begin? What reason do individuals have to come together to form these great civilizations?"

"That was one of the great questions of the European Enlightenment, which took place on Earth around four-hundred years ago. My personal favorite answer, coming from a man named John Locke, is that man's greed actually leads the creation of society."

"I'm having a hard time following that logic," Liara interrupts. "How can an individual's desire to have everything lead to him or her giving to benefit others?"

"According to Locke, man gives up so that his remaining possessions are secure. A sense of justice is created and established so that man may feel more secure among his fellow man."

"So you believe that justice is nothing more than a shared sense of paranoia?"

"I don't think I put it that way," I say with a small chuckle, "but I suppose that's fairly accurate. And what about you, Liara? What are your feelings on justice?"

"Well, if I were answering my own question, I would say that justice exists to protect the innocent. Justice is the ultimate expression of the inherent good in every individual. It defends those too weak to defend themselves."

"But if there's an inherent good in every person, why do they need protection from others? Because doesn't justice only operate between two or more people?" I ask, not really out of any malice, but out of a desire to continue this conversation.

"While I believe in the good within everyone, I also accept the fact that some people choose not to follow that path, Saren being a prime example."

"As fascinating as this conversation was to hear, we're here," Jenny calls out from the front. Wait, what? We're at Peak 15 already? But…but…where were the physics defying turns, the sounds of battles raging outside, or the jumps that would make Newton roll in his grave? That was possibly the most sedate ride I've ever had. Hell, I had wilder rides in my Mustang!

I kinda feel gypped now. Seriously, I was actually sorta looking forward to an actual Mako experience. And here it turns out that Mako physics is nothing more than regular physics. That's disappointing. I'm sad now.

"Alright folks, everybody out," Jenny says, emerging from the front of the Mako. She opens the hatch and hops out, and I get out of my seat while the rest of the squad starts to exit the vehicle. As soon as I hop out, the biting cold of Noveria immediately starts to seep through my armor. Luckily, the entrance is right in front of us, so we get inside in short order.

The door put us into a sort of anteroom, but it's pitch black in here. We manage to find the exit in the darkness, but that only leads to more darkness. This is weird. I don't remember this from the game.

"It looks like the power's out," Garrus comments.

"Helmets on, everyone," Jenny orders. "And switch to night vision. We don't want to run into anything in here." I start fiddling around with my omni-tool, finally finding the correct command. My world immediately lights up green, amplifying what little ambient light there is. If I'm not mistaken, I also have thermal vision as well. I switch to that, seeing which one I like better. Hmm…I think I like the thermal better. I set it to white hot, making hotter objects appear white against cooler objects, which appear black.

Now that I can actually see, it looks like we're in a garage: It's a fairly long, open space, with numerous boxes and crates lining each side. This is where a rather large firefight happens, so I start to mentally prepare.

The squad slowly advances into the garage, everyone checking every corner along the way. It's surprisingly silent as we walk deeper and deeper into this dark abyss. It's also slightly unnerving: the complete lack of noise only serves to highlight the pitch black that I know surrounds me.

We finally reach the end of the garage with nary a single enemy encounter. That in itself only serves to throw me off more. I thought there was a whole unit of geth and even a few krogan waiting for us in there. And come to think of it, shouldn't that VI be bleating about system failure or something? This is weird.

Exiting the garage, we find ourselves in another small chamber. It's a fairly average small chamber except for the fact that there are two turrets in here. Facing towards the inside.

"Why are the turrets facing the wrong way?" Garrus asks quietly into the radio.

"They must want to keep whatever's in there inside more than they want to keep us out," Ian answers just as quietly.

Have you ever noticed that the darkness seems to breed its own kind of quiet? People instinctively lower their voices when surrounded by the dark. Maybe a healthy fear of the night is bred within any sapient species. Or at least a fear of whatever could be waiting out there.

…

Damn, I've gotta stop doing that. I'm only going to freak myself out.

Anywho, we leave the turret room and enter what looks like a security checkpoint. The various terminals are still giving off traces of heat, making them stand out from the rest of the cold interior. Jenny keeps leading us forward, steady as a rock. The next room is actually a hallway with a door on each side and an elevator at the end.

"Garrus and Ian, you take the right door," Jenny orders quietly. Damn, even she's falling into the instinctual habit. "Dylan, Liara, and I will take the left."

"Can do, Shepard," Ian replies. With that, everyone stacks up against their assigned door. On the left door, Liara and I are on the left, and Jenny is on the right. I look at her and give a nod. She nods back and hits the door interface. As soon as she does this, I'm surging forward through the newly opened door, ready for anything.

There's nothing in here. Quickly scanning the room, all I see are empty bunks and a few forgotten personal items.

"Empty," I report, also falling into a whisper.

"Same," Garrus says.

Ok, this is really starting to feel weird. In the game, we would have been through at least one firefight. At least we would have encountered other beings. As it is, paranoia is starting to set it. I keep expecting something to suddenly jump out at us, and more than likely, that something is gonna be a rachni. I wasn't looking forward to meeting one of those things in the best of circumstances. Now…fuck, I'm starting to freak myself out again. I need to stop that.

Since the two rooms yielded nothing, we continue on towards the elevator. Pressing the button, I can feel the downward motion start.

This is a pretty small elevator. Not much bigger than the Normandy's. This wouldn't be a good place—No! Stop that! Bad Dylan! I'm worrying over nothing.

After what seems like an eternity—the darkness seems to distort my sense of time—the door finally opens to reveal a somewhat large, open room. There's also a lot of snow, as shown by the pitch black on my thermal vision. We file out in a classic v-formation: Jenny on point, Garrus and I next, and Liara and Ian taking the back two positions.

"Ok, guys, we take this nice and slow," Jenny whispers. "This seems like a good place for an ambu—"

_**THUNK!**_

Holy fuck! Immediately, everyone turns toward the direction of the sound with weapons raised. It sounded like it came from the left and slightly above us…but there's nothing there except for a few air vents.

…

Air vents? Oh shit. That's never a good thing. Everyone knows that the creepy monsters get around through the air vents. No! Stop! I don't know there are monsters here…but I do know there are rachni.

Oh fuck…

Finally, after everyone is sure that there's nothing there, we turn back towards Jenny. I look at the others, trying to gauge how they're feeling right now and…

Where's Ian?

**A/N: I feel evil after that ending. Other than that, I'm not sure what else to say...**

**Anywho, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It certainly was fun to write. Until next time, ta ta!**


	21. The Darkness Surrounding

**A/N: Happy 2012! So I left you guys (and girls) with a pretty big cliffhanger to end last chapter, so I'm gonna let you get right into it. Enjoy!**

**The Darkness Surrounding**

Where's Ian?

Oh god…

"Guys…where's Ian?" I whisper into the radio. Immediately, every other head turns toward where the Brit used to be.

"S'kak!" Garrus yells, sounding incredibly loud against the silence of the rest of the facility. "Ian! Where are you?"

"Garrus, calm down," Jenny orders sharply. "You and Dylan search the right, and Liara and I will search the left. Keep quiet. We don't know what's out there." Oh, but I do, Jenny, and it's not pretty.

Following her orders, we split up into our assigned groups. I don't see anything on my thermal as Garrus and I slowly make our way over to the right side of the room. It almost looks like a cafeteria: there are tables all around the middle of the room, and there's an elevated area on the right. Walking up the short flight of steps, I'm constantly scanning the area, fully expecting a rachni any second.

At the top of the steps, there's a large pile of snow.

There's also a small source of heat inside it.

"Garrus," I say, tapping the turian detective on the shoulder. He jumps just a fraction at my touch, but I bet we're all feeling jumpy right now.

"What?" he asks, stopping to look at me.

"I've got my thermal vision on, and there's some heat in the middle of that snow pile," I explain, pointing to said pile.

"Let's check it out." I simply nod, and we slowly head over to the snowdrift. We're right in front of it, and I'm about to start digging through—

"RAWR!"

"HOLY FUCK!" I yell, recoiling from the shape that just leaped from the snow. Shitshitshitshit, this rachni is right in front of me! It's gonna eat my face off! I'm gonna…

Why is it laughing? Can rachni even laugh? Wait a second…I know that laugh.

"Ian, you fucking bastard!" I yell at the little Brit who's now lying on the ground, laughing hysterically. "I swear to god, if we weren't on a serious mission right now, I would kill you!"

"What the hell is going on here?" Jenny shouts, running up to where I almost died of a heart attack.

"This little British bastard here almost scared me to death," I say, still sitting on the ground. For some reason, that only makes Ian laugh harder.

"Ian, what in spirits' name were you thinking?" Garrus asks him hotly. "You scared the s'kak out of m—us when we saw you weren't there."

"Relax, Garrus," he says, still chuckling a bit. "I just thought you were all being kinda uptight. I thought I'd lighten the mood."

"By trying to kill me?" I ask, acidly.

"Not my fault you're wound tighter than a crab's asshole," he replies, glibly. As much as I'm pissed off at him, I can barely hold back a few chuckles at that. I mean, "tighter than a crab's asshole"? How does that make sense?

"Ian, that was a little much for trying to lighten the mood," Jenny tells him, calmly. "Now everyone, get back into formation." With only one more evil stare at Ian—which he can't see because of the mask—I get up off the ground and take my place behind Jenny. Everyone else complies, and we continue on our excursion of the labs.

The rest of this cafeteria area holds nothing but the pure blackness that has permeated every other room so far. There was a long strip of air vents along the floor, but we passed by with no incident.

The door at the end of the cafeteria leads to a short hallway, which in turn leads to an elevator. In no time, we're slowly making our way higher into the facility. You know, I just thought of something: How are the elevators working if the power is out?

…

I guess the elevators run on separate generators or something. Whatever, I'm not complaining. I would hate to be stuck in a staircase with rachni…

God! I really need to stop thinking about that!

The elevator opens before I can fall deeper into depressing thoughts. I'm trying to remember the layout from the game, and I think that the VI core should be close. I sure as hell hope it is; these lights need to be turned back on fast.

Unfortunately, the elevator opens to another long hallway. A long, narrow hallway. A long, narrow hallway that somehow seems even darker than previous ones. A strange feeling is starting to come over me. I feel…alone. Helplessly and inexplicably alone.

I look at my squad mates, seeing the glow of their bodies on my thermal and trying to reassure myself that I'm not actually alone, but…somehow, seeing them only accentuates that acute loneliness. Even seeing them, I can almost feel the darkness that separates us. I almost can't explain it. This is a stupid feeling—I know—but I can't keep it at bay. I simply cannot shake this feeling that, in the end, I'm alone. I'm not even thinking metaphorically: I'm alone in this universe. I have no family, no friends…no one.

"Mate, you alright?" Ian suddenly asks, coming up behind me. "You're just standing there."

As quickly as it came, the feeling of loneliness is gone. I'm not alone; I have new friends here that I've come to know and love. I may have lost my family by coming here, but as corny as this will sound, the Normandy crew is starting to become my new family. No, I'm not alone. My friends will always have my back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I say, shaking my head to clear the last of the depressing thoughts. "I think this darkness is starting to get to me."

"You'll be fine," he says, sounding as cocky as ever. I don't know how the little bastard does it, but it seems like nothing can get him down.

"Yeah…I will be. Let's get going," I say, seeing that I appear to have held us up. No one responds verbally, but we continue walking.

Even though this hallway is longer and narrower than any previous one, there aren't any doors, so we literally just walk down the hall. Unfortunately, there appears to be about five separate air vents along the ceiling. As we slowly advance, I keep a close eye on each one. We reach the end of the hall without incident. Opening the door to the next room, it looks like—

_**CLANG!**_

My heart skips about three beats as we all turn around at the terrifyingly loud noise. There on the floor, one of the vent covers lies motionless. But that's all. No horrifying rachni soldier ready to spit acid in my face. No swarm of workers ready to explode all over me. Just the same empty hallway.

I think they're toying with us.

Slowly, once we're sure that nothing is coming out of the vent, we continue through the door. The room on the other side looks like a laboratory. The strange thing is this is the first one we've seen, even though this whole facility is supposed to be a lab. Weird.

Just like every other room so far, this one is empty. However, there is one thing that sets this room apart: There's an active terminal. I can't actually read what's on the screen because it's just a mass of heat. I guess this is one time when thermal doesn't work so well. It doesn't really matter, though; Jenny quickly sits down to start extracting data from the terminal.

The rest of us take positions around the room. There are only two doors in this lab, so Garrus and Ian guard the door we came in through while Liara and I go towards the other one. Opening the door, I'm met with a hallway similar to the one we came in through. I program the door to stay open, so nothing can sneak up on us.

For a few long minutes, the only sound in the room is Jenny typing away at the terminal. Whatever's on that thing must be heavily encrypted if it's taking her this long. Compared to the pure silence that had surrounded us earlier, her typing seems too loud…like a beacon telling every rachni—

No! Bad Dylan! I've told me to stop that!

Suddenly, I hear a bang as another air vent cover falls. Turning toward the other door, weapon ready, I fully expect an oncoming horde of rachni. When none is forthcoming, my heart starts to slow down again. However, I keep an eye on that door for a bit, making sure that—

_skitter skitter skitter._

…

What was that? It sounded like a bug crawling across a metal floor…right behind me. In absolute terror, I whip around to look down my own hallway.

There's nothing there. Not even a fallen vent cover.

"What is it, Dylan?" Liara asks quietly, causing me to jump slightly.

"Didn't you hear that?" I counter.

"Hear what?" she responds, sounding completely oblivious to what just happened.

"The skittering noise from this hallway," I say, pointing down said passage.

"I did not hear anything emanating from this hall," the young asari tells me. "Are you sure you are alright?" I stay silent for a while, simply staring down the hall. I could have sworn that I hear something move in there.

"Yeah…I'm fine," I say, slowly. "Let's just keep up the watch."

"No need. We're done here," Jenny says, suddenly getting up from the terminal.

"What'd you find, Shepard?" Garrus asks, walking up to her.

"The last log entry was just after Benezia supposedly arrived," she explains, sounding grim. "It said: 'Creatures escaped. Falling back to Rift Station.'"

The previous silence now returns tenfold. That proves it right there: there are creatures—rachni—loose in the labs. We all share looks of (presumably) apprehension. It's kinda hard to tell behind the helmets.

"Whatever these creatures are, we need to keep going," Jenny says after a few long moments of silence. "Benezia is our top priority." We all nod our understanding. Without another word, we leave the small lab and enter the hallway Liara and I had been guarding.

Just like the one before, it's rather long and narrow…

That's what she said.

…

Anywho, we continue down said corridor, ever wary of the vents along the ceiling.

_skitter skitter skitter._

Immediately, I wheel around to face the door we just came through with my weapon raised. There's nothing behind me besides Ian, who's the rear guard. I stand stock still, pointing my Mattock down the hall.

"You gonna put that thing down, mate?" Ian asks, sounding put off. I shake my head a little, realizing that I was basically aiming right at him. Slowly, I lower the weapon.

"Sorry, big guy. I thought I heard something behind us," I explain, sounding kinda sheepish.

"I didn't hear anything, and I'm making it a point to look behind at random intervals. If something gets by behind us, chances are I'll see it." I just give him a nod and a pat on the shoulder before continuing on.

The next room finally yields something valuable: the VI core. From what I can see on my thermal, it looks pretty much like it does in game: a short walkway with doors on each side leading to a rather large bank of servers. I let out a quiet sigh of relief; hopefully the VI can tell us how to get the lights back on. That's assuming we can get the VI working again. I remember in the game, it was just a simple Tower of Hanoi puzzle—I learned the secret to that in eighth grade. It's probably something slightly more complex in real life.

We slowly advance towards the server bank, keeping a constant eye on any vents that appear in our path. Just like almost every other vent we've come across, nothing happens. I'm starting to wonder if the rachni are even here.

_skitter skitter skitter._

With a tremendous amount of will, I manage to resist the urge to turn around. I have to have faith that Ian will guard our backs. The fact that nothing has ever been there and that no one else has heard the noise makes me thing that I'm getting paranoid.

But just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out there…

…

NO! STOP!

As Jenny descends into the VI core, I lean against a wall, taking deep breaths and trying to calm myself down. I don't know what's going on, but something is definitely not right. I'm almost afraid of my own mind right now. Do you have any idea what it feels like to be afraid of your own mind? The one place where you should be able to go and feel safe? It feels like my last bastion of sanity is slowly slipping away. It's a terrible, frightening thing when you can't trust your own thoughts.

"What's up, Dylan?" Ian asks from next to me, causing me to jump slightly. "You seem really on edge." I exhale sharply, trying to expel the enormous tension I'm feeling.

"I don't know, man," I respond in barely a whisper. "This place was a little freaky before, but now that we know there are creatures here? I'm starting to freak myself out a little. It's almost to the point where I don't feel safe in my own head." He's silent for a while after my admission. While I'm not proud of it, I feel a little better for having done so.

"It's understandable to feel freaked out with all this," he tells me, trying to sound reassuring. "I mean, we're in a pitch black facility with some sort of unknown creature on the loose. We're all on edge, but you have to trust in the rest of us. No one here is gonna let anything happen to anyone else."

"You're right," I say after a while. "Doesn't mean I'm gonna stop being paranoid. I'd rather be paranoid than dead."

"Took the words right out of my mouth," he replies with evident amusement in his voice.

A short time later, Jenny ascends from the VI core. A moment later, the VI comes online in front of us.

* * *

After a hurried discussion with the facility's VI, we now have a new current objective. Well, a few actually. We need to get the main reactor back online, and we need to repair the landlines that connect the tram to Rift Station. I'm really, _really_ glad that we're going to turn the main reactor back on first. That should get the lights working again. Then I can stop feeling completely helpless.

The lift taking us to the reactor room finally opens to a medium-size, square room. There's a door on either side and what looks like a terminal directly opposite us. If it is, in fact, a terminal, it's not working; there's hardly any heat radiating from it: certainly not enough for it to still work.

We go through the door on the right and find ourselves on a walkway suspended over the snow. Well…most of it, at least. There's a rather large section that just isn't there anymore. Tentatively, I start to walk forward of my own accord. Being an engineer (kind of) I think I can determine the reason that a long strip of walkway is gone. As I pass Jenny, she puts a hand on my shoulder, stopping me momentarily. I stop and look back at her, giving her what I hope looks like a confident nod. She seems to read it correctly because she lets me continue without a word.

I approach the edge of the gap with understandable caution; who knows if the rest of the walkway sustained damage from this…collapse? About two feet from the edge, my foot impacts something rather soft. Looking down quickly, I don't see anything on my thermal, but…I know there's something there. Switching to normal night vision, I…

Oh dear. That's…that's unexpected.

Lying on the walkway is a torso.

Just a torso.

Swallowing back my revulsion, I start to inspect the corpse. There's a straight cut right at the edge of the walkway, telling me that whatever cut through the path also probably cut through him. The disgusting thing is this isn't a clean cut, in any sense of the word. I'm not sure how to describe the wounds, other than that I've seen their like before: they look similar to Ash's from Feros. This was acid.

Fuck.

This poor bastard was killed by rachni acid. Not just killed, bisected. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. The fact that the body didn't show up at all on my thermal means that it's been dead for quite a while.

I sigh quietly. Since this guy was killed by rachni acid, it's a logical conclusion that the walkway suffered the same fate. Having my answer, I slowly make my way back to the squad.

"What happened?" Jenny asks once I take my previous place.

"Acid," I tell her quietly, looking at the ground. "It ate right through the metal. There was also a body there. Same fate." I pause and look up at her. "Whatever creature is running loose in here can spit acid. It's not pretty." She nods slowly before saying anything.

"We'll go around the other side. There's no way we can cross that gap." Without another word, she leads us back inside the previous room and through the opposite door. Thankfully, the walkway on this side is still intact, so we reach the reactor core without any further difficulty. Jenny starts to mess with the reactor's interface while the rest of us guard her back.

After that mess with the body, I'm sticking to night vision. I hadn't really considered the possibility of something matching its heat to the surrounding area. I guess that's the one fatal flaw in that system. So now everything has that classic green tint. I'm a little disappointed that the technology hasn't really advanced in 200 years, but who am I to complain? It works, and that's all that—

Did that shadow move? Staring intently at the offending shadow, I…I can't really tell. I quickly switch back to thermal vision and see that there's nothing there. Phew. I think I'll stick to thermal.

Suddenly a low hum starts up behind us.

"Main reactor core online," the VI says, its voice sounding much too loud. "Error, all facility lighting still non-operational. All other facility processes are fully functional."

…

The lights are still out. Why—and how—does everything else work? Why can't the lights come back? Even after Ian's little pep talk, I'm still not ok with being pitch black all the time. It's not even the fact that I can't see—I can with my night and thermal vision. It's the fact that I know it's all around me. I'm not even sure this is something that can be put into words; it's just that…I don't know. A part of me still thinks I'm just psyching myself out.

It's the other part I'm worried about.

* * *

Now that we've gotten the reactor back online—even if the fucking lights still won't work—and the landlines to Rift Station fixed, we can finally get away from this fucking facility.

Oh, did I not mention that we fixed the landlines? Well we did. Just like everything else in this place, there were absolutely no rachni. On a very positive note, we had to go outside to fix the thing, meaning we escaped the dark for a while. I didn't even care if I was freezing my balls off, I was just happy that I could see without technological assistance.

Going back inside was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But like I said, now we can leave, and I'm pretty sure the Rift Station will have power, seeing as there should be survivors there.

We finally enter the tram station after quite a few long, dark hallways. It's a fairly large room, and the tram is, of course, on the other freaking side. There are lines of benches here and there, making the place seem even emptier through their vacancy.

_skitter skitter skitter._

Ok, this noise is really starting to get on my nerves. I've come to accept the fact that it probably isn't real. The fact that no one else ever hears it is a fairly strong indication. I just wish it would go away.

_Skitter skitter skitter._

Wow, now it's happening more frequently. That's the second time, and we're not even halfway across the room.

_Skitter Skitter skitter._

I stop suddenly, causing Ian to bump into me. This is starting to get more creepy than usual.

"You ok?" Ian asks. "Why'd you stop?"

"Are you guys sure you can't hear anything?" I ask the others, ignoring Ian's question.

"I haven't heard anything," Garrus says, giving me a look. "And turians have better hearing than humans do. You're imagining it."

I look around the room. I can't see any air vents, but that doesn't mean there aren't any.

_Skitter Skitter Skitter._

Suddenly everyone snaps to attention. Slowly, they all come to look at me.

"Is that what you've been hearing?" Jenny asks. I nod, not trusting my voice right now. "Everyone be on guard," she orders somewhat needlessly. "This isn't the best place to be caught. Wit nods all around, we continue through the room. We're so close. Why now?

_Skitter Skitter Skitter Skitter!_

_**CLANG!**_

I swear my heart stops as I spin around to look behind us. There…it's…it's right there.

"Goddess," Liara whispers in an awed voice.

_**CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!**_

If my heart was still working before, it sure as hell isn't now. Quickly looking all around us…

We're fucked.

They've surrounded us.

We still have a good 70 feet before the trams, and there are rachni all around us. We were _so close_. Slowly, the creatures start to advance on us. Without waiting for orders, I start shooting into the mass of rachni that stand between us and the tram. Everyone else soon follows suit.

I swear, it looks like there are hundreds of the ugly fuckers. Certainly enough to surround us a few rows deep. And they're all soldiers. I don't see a single worker. Actually...I'm glad about that. Those little buggers (haha) are annoying as hell.

"What the hell are these things?" Garrus yells over the sound of gunfire.

"No clue!" Jenny shouts back. "Just keep shooting!" We do so. I'm firing so fast and so continuously that my Mattock actually overheats! This is the first time that's happened! In desperation, I pull out my Carnifex, hoping the hand cannon can do some damage.

…

This isn't working! We're running out of time! The front ranks of rachni are about 30 feet from us.

"How the hell are we getting out of this?" I ask, trying to think of a way out.

"Just keep shooting!" Jenny repeats.

"Fuck this," I hear Ian mutter from next to me. I look at him, and he looks like he's mentally preparing for something.

Oh no…

"ENGLAAAND!"

…

And then he charges the rachni.

The rest of us are too shocked by his sudden suicide charge to do anything more than stare at him. As he reaches the rachni, the trance is broken, and I hear Garrus let out a primal growl. We all start pouring fire into the rachni around Ian.

His battle cry soon turns into strangled cries for help.

There's nothing we can do.

The rachni swarm all over him, grabbing at his armor with those freaky appendages they have. Something seems off, though. It's like they're not trying to kill him as much as...grab him. What the fuck is going on? Finally, one manages to grab hold of Ian's shoulder. The rest of the swarm around him soon grab on as well.

Before we realize it, the rachni are gone, and Ian with them.

In complete shock, I fall into one of the numerous benches we were using for cover. Everyone else seems to think this is a great idea, and soon, we're all sitting on the benches, completely flabbergasted.

I…I don't…I don't know what just happened. He tried to break through. I don't know whether to call him brave or stupid. Maybe it was both.

After a few long minutes of stunned silence, Garrus abruptly snaps to his feet. He starts pacing wildly and growling that same feral growl I heard earlier.

"What the fuck were you all thinking?" he yells suddenly. "How could you let him do that?" The rest of us just sit there, looking completely dejected. "Why didn't we save him?" We remain silent. "Spirits, why did he have to go and do that?" All the hate is gone from his voice as he sinks back into his chair. "Why couldn't I protect him?" None of us have the answers he's looking for, so we opt to remain silent.

I'm not surprised he's acting this way. He just saw his best friend get dragged away by terrifying aliens.

"Come on," Jenny says quietly, standing up. "We need to keep moving." She looks at Garrus. "We'll find him, Garrus. I'll make sure of it."

The rest of us stand up slowly, still slightly in shock. In total silence, we all pile into the tram. Garrus sits alone in one corner.

The tram starts moving, but it's one passenger short.

**A/N: Wow. This is the second chapter in a row I've done this. I really do feel like a terrible person after this.**

**So yeah, crazy times are had at Peak 15's main facility. Next up is the Rift Station. If the last two chapters are any indication, the events at the Rift Station will deviate from canon a bit. **

**I need to give another round of "thank you"s to iNf3ctioNZ. Not for anything specific, just a general helpfulness with this chapter. Sorry I'm being so rough on you, bud ;-)**

**Anywho, I suppose that's all for this chapter. Oh, actually, I just want to give a general thanks to all my great reviewers. Seriously, you guys (and girls) are awesome! So until next time, ta ta!**


	22. What Shall You Sing?

**A/N: And I'm back! Once again, I left you guys and gals with a pretty huge cliffhanger last chapter (again), so I'll let you get right to it. Enjoy!**

**What Shall You Sing?**

The tram continues on, speeding towards an objective that seems increasingly pointless in the wake of everything that just happened. I look over to Garrus sitting in the corner, and a part of me seems to die inside when I see the look on his face. Inasmuch as I can read turian facial expressions, Garrus looks completely broken. Thinking back to right after Ian got taken, I remember Garrus was—rightfully so—freaking out. In the end, I think he blames himself. Oh no…if this is like Mass Effect 2 when he blames himself for his squad's death…this could be bad. I'm gonna try to keep an eye on him.

Everyone else looks pretty much the same: a kind of shocked expression on the face. (We've taken our helmets off in the tram.) Hell, even Jenny is showing some strain, and she usually has her unbreakable mission-face. The fact that that's fallen shows how badly everyone is taking this.

I finally can't stand seeing all this depression, so I look up to gaze out one of the windows. The snowy landscape passes by beneath us, completely untouched by the sentient activity occurring around it. For some reason, a sense of bitter irony hits me as I'm watching this snowy world pass by. I tend to associate snow with purity.

There's nothing pure happening on this planet.

And yet, the snow continues to fall, unaware of all the corruption trying to seep into its essence. Still looking outside, I let my mind wander, trying not to think about Peak 15. Soon enough, the tram enters a tunnel, signifying that we're almost there. Without any words, we all start to prepare.

The tram pulls into the station, and I'm met with a wonderful sight: the lights are on! I let out a huge sigh of relief. Oh thank god. We finally come to a stop, and the doors open, revealing a tram station very similar to the one we left. I hear a soft growl escape Garrus. I really hope he's not reliving what happened to Ian.

Jenny exits the tram—

**BANG!**

—And stops. She looks down to the area where the shot impacted her shields then back up at the man holding the rifle.

"Care to explain what that was?" Jenny calls across to him in a calm voice. I think her mission-face is back on.

"We're under orders not to let anything enter," the man calls back.

"If you're talking about those creatures, we're here to stop them," the commander tells him.

"That doesn't matter. I was ordered not to let anything enter."

"I don't think you understand. We're here to help." Jenny's starting to sound ticked. I've got a feeling that this can't end well.

"Orders are orders." Well, I'll give him credit for following orders. Too bad he loses more credit for being stupid.

"Last chance."

"I can't let you enter." Ooh…wrong answer.

This time, I'm expecting what's coming, so I don't even flinch when the guard suddenly loses his head. Unfortunately, he must have had buddies hiding somewhere because Jenny starts getting lit up. Luckily, there are plenty of chest-high walls around, so Jenny quickly runs for the nearest one. Garrus is standing in the doorway of the tram, and he starts laying down covering fire, allowing Jenny to get to the crate in one piece. Once she's in place and putting out covering fire of her own, I make a run to the crate next to her.

Even though I'm only out in the open for five seconds, I still feel shots impact my shields. They don't really do any damage, so as soon as I reach cover, I come up and start taking shots. From what I can see, there are about five guards. The one on the far left appears to be shooting at Garrus, and no one is currently shooting at me, so I start to pepper that guy with Mattock rounds. Realizing what's happening, the guy quickly ducks behind his cover.

Seeing no one else at the moment, I return to my cover to see how the others are doing. Jenny's still at the small wall next to me, and Garrus is still in the doorway of the tram. Liara has actually moved to the crate next to me. I didn't even notice her run by me. The asari doctor starts to flare her biotics and sends a ball of blue energy downrange. Wondering what she sent at the guards, I pop out of cover.

That's a singularity. She dropped a singularity right on top of two of the guards. With the sudden reversal of gravity, they float up above their cover, presenting perfect targets. All four of us start unloading into those two poor bastards. Seeing that their buddies are getting lit up, the other three guards start shooting at us. We ignore them.

In a matter of seconds, the only things caught in that singularity are two corpses. Once they're dead, we duck behind our respective covers. Wow, I hadn't even realized that my shields dropped below 50%. That was a little closer than I wanted. Now that we're behind cover, the three remaining guards want to keep us in cover. Unfortunately for them, there are four of us.

My shields return to 100%, and I pop out of cover again. I start to shoot at the one on the right while all three of them focus their attention on me. Wrong move, guys. Now that they're focused on me, Jenny, Garrus, and Liara start shooting at them. We outnumber them, and they soon realize it because they quickly duck back behind cover of their own.

The poor bastards don't realize how close they are to each other. Once again, Liara flares blue and drops a singularity right in the middle of them. It's over before they know what hit them.

I stand up and exit my cover, heaving a sigh of relief while doing so. I can honestly say I wasn't expecting that fight. It sure as hell wasn't in the game…then again, a lot of this shit wasn't in the game. The rachni sure as hell weren't smart enough in the game to do what they did at Peak 15. I guess I can't expect anything to happen the way I thought it would.

"What the hell was that all about?" I ask once we've regrouped around Jenny.

"Binary Helix obviously wants something to stay hidden," Jenny says. "And it's our job to figure out what."

"Should we assume everyone we encounter will be hostile?" Garrus asks.

"Probably not a bad idea, but don't fire unless fired upon. We don't know what kind of noncombatants are in here." We all nod, though Garrus doesn't quite look pleased with that answer. Without another word, we move on, exiting the tram station. Luckily, we got a map of Rift Station from the VI at Peak 15, so we basically know where we're going. Though that doesn't mean we might not need a detour or two.

There are two doors out of the tram station: one of which is locked. And of course, the locked on is the one that leads us straight to the main labs. I see _that_ isn't different from the game. So without any other option, we go through the other door. That door takes us to another room with two _more_ doors: again, one of which is locked. The other door is an elevator that the map says will take us to a crew area. Left with no other option, we pile into the elevator.

The upward motion stops after a short while and the door opens.

A gunshot follows.

What the hell? Can we not open a door without being shot? Though at least we know we can return fire now. Unfortunately, whoever is outside is sending in such a torrent of gunfire that we can't move. The four of us are pinned to the walls of the elevator.

Suddenly the fire stops. Ha, I bet the bastards let their guns overheat. Now that we have a break, Jenny looks at Liara and gives her a quick nod. Once again, the asari flares blue, and she sends a ball of energy flying through the door. After about three seconds, I hear screams coming from the other room. I give a truly evil smirk from behind my mask. The poor bastards must be learning what zero gravity feels like.

Without a moment's hesitation, Jenny charges out of the elevator. I follow quickly behind her. Instead of shooting at the floating guards, though, Jenny keeps charging them. In a blur, she manages to knock all three guards unconscious.

Since Jenny singlehandedly disarmed the threat, I seem to have run out of that elevator for nothing. Slowly, I approach Jenny, who's standing over the three motionless guards. Garrus and Liara come to stand next to me. All of us take a moment to admire Jenny's handiwork. It's not every day you see someone singlehandedly take down three armed men.

"Excellent work, Shepard," Garrus says after a while. "Now we just need to finish the job." And with that, the turian detective draws his pistol. He aims it at the first guard. Wait, what the fuck?

"Vakarian, stand down!" Jenny orders sharply. He keeps the pistol aimed at the first guard, but he looks up to meet Jenny's gaze.

"These three are involved in whatever's going on here. They're partly responsible for everything that happened at Peak 15." Wow…he sounds angry. Though behind his spoken explanation, I can hear the implied one: _"They're partially responsible to what happened to Ian."_

"Garrus, I said stand down. That's an order." Garrus' anger is matched by Jenny's steely calm. In the wake of her coldly delivered order, Garrus raises his pistol, still keeping it drawn. "Thank you. No matter how angry you are, you can't kill these men, Garrus. What good would that accomplish? They're not a threat anymore."

"But what about when they wake up?" he retorts, still sounding angry. "We don't have the time or the resources to take prisoners."

"This isn't a question anymore, Garrus. These men will not be a problem. We are _not_ killing them. That's final. Stand down." The turian keeps the commander's gaze for a few more seconds before audibly growling and holstering his pistol. Jenny keeps his gaze for a while longer; probably trying to make sure he'll follow orders. I don't think she needs to worry, though. He's a turian. If turians are good at anything, it's following orders.

Still…I'm worried about him. That was too much Mass Effect 2 Garrus. He's still supposed to be the idealistic, zealous cop, not the dark, revenge seeking vigilante. He must be really pissed off about what happened to Ian—rightfully so, in my mind. But I still can't help but feel that it goes a bit deeper than that…

Suddenly I remember his tirade right after Ian got taken and face during the tram ride. I think he really does blame himself. And, he's trying so hard to _not_ blame himself that he's willing to place that blame on anyone he can. He felt that those guards were involved just by being employed by Binary Helix. He's so afraid to admit this to himself that he tries to pass it on to others.

At least that's what I think is going on. I am, by no means, a xenopsychologist. For all I know, I'm totally off the mark. This is just how I think a human would react.

Anywho, with that situation defused, Jenny grabs some…are those zip ties? Holy hell, I think they are zip ties. She kneels next to the still-unconscious guards and proceeds to bind them at the wrists and ankles. Hell, as an added bonus, she then ties them to each other. Oh man, they're gonna have a hell of a time when they wake up. I sure hope they're good friends.

Once Jenny finishes securing the three guards, we finally move on.

* * *

The next half hour is a flurry of small firefights in narrow corridors. Now let me tell you, if you've never been in a firefight in a narrow corridor, don't. They're not fun. There's no cover—other than the occasional indent in a wall—so about the only option is to rush the enemy and hope your shields hold. My advice: don't try this. Ever. If you absolutely can't live without engaging in a firefight in a narrow corridor, do it in paintball. Paintball won't kill you.

So yeah, my armor has a few new dings to it. Most of my right pauldron is shattered after a hit that broke my shields. Luckily, the kinetic barrier caught most of the energy, but what was left hit and smashed the ceramic plate protecting my right shoulder. Luckily the bullet didn't penetrate, but now I have this glaring weak spot in my armor. I guess I'll be seeing Joel again after this mission.

The others are no better. Honestly, it's a miracle that no one has been injured in all these firefights. I don't think there's a single set of armor that doesn't show some sort of damage.

Right now, we're standing in front of the door that leads to the final room. I think Jenny knows that, too, because she seems to be giving us all a moment's rest. After a while, she looks into everyone's eyes. We all give a slow nod. We're ready. I'm ready.

The door opens and we enter the room. It looks pretty much like it did in the game: a square room with a walkway going around the perimeter. The walkways on either side of the entrance are raised a good five or six feet. And in the center of the room sits the ultimate objective: the rachni queen. Honestly, after what happened at Peak 15, I don't know if I want the rachni to go free. At the top of the stairs leading to the raised path on the left, Benezia stands calmly, looking at the rachni queen.

"You do not know the privilege of being a mother," she intones hollowly, still looking at the queen. "There is a power in creation. To shape a life. Turn it towards happiness or despair. Her children were to be ours. Raised to hunt and slay Saren's enemies." She finally turns towards us. "I won't be moved by sympathy, no matter who you bring into this confrontation," she says, looking at the group—more specifically, Liara.

"I'm here because I chose to be!" Liara says hotly.

"Indeed? What have you told them about me, Liara?"

"What could I say, mother? That you're insane? Evil? Should I tell them how to kill you? What _could_ I say, mother?" Wow…she sounds pretty distraught over this. Granted, I always thought she sounded too calm in the game, but she sounds heartbreakingly worried. Just another reminder that this is real and not some game.

"Have you faced an asari commando unit before?" Benezia asks, completely ignoring Liara's last statement. "Few humans have."

"But plenty of turians have," Garrus says angrily. "And you're going to pay for what you've done here. By the spirits of air and darkness, we will stop you!"

"Foolish turian," she says, giving a cold laugh. Suddenly she flares blue and hurls a ball of energy—just like Liara was earlier—right at us.

In an instant, my body freezes up. I literally cannot move a single muscle. Hell, I can't even blink. That bitch hit us with that fucking stasis field! I hated that in the game! I was in the process of raising my Mattock, so now I'm frozen in a somewhat uncomfortable position.

As if that wasn't enough, I hear doors open. Fuck! I hate how the fucking commandos enter when we're frozen. The commandos start to pour onto the walkway that Benezia occupies. From what I can see, there are five of them. This might be a little harder than the fights we had earlier.

Soon enough, I can feel shots ping against my shields. Shit shit shit shit, this isn't good! We're literally sitting ducks right here. I see one of the commandos start to glow blue. Oh no. This can't be good. The asari looks at me, and we lock eyes. I see a sadistic smile spread across that ageless, blue face. Fuck.

Before I know what's happening, my back slams against the wall behind me. FUCK! The incredible impact seems to have broken the stasis, so I limply slide down the wall, feeling for all the world like a beaten dog. I just lay on the cold, metal floor, trying not to move. Holy shit, it feels like an enraged carpenter took a hammer to every square inch of my body.

The sounds of gunfire have intensified, probably meaning that Jenny, Garrus, and Liara have unfrozen as well. As I continue to lay motionless on the ground, a single area starts to differentiate itself from the rest of my pain: my head feels like a plumber nailed me with his wrench after I told him to put his ass away.

…

What the fuck was that? I _really_ must have hit my head hard if I'm coming up with similes like that. Actually…it might be a little worse than that. I slowly become aware of a sensation along the back of my neck. It feels like water, but it's warm and viscous.

Fuck. I'm bleeding.

Luckily, my armor's medical system kicks in, and medigel is soon dispensed to the area in question. The wonderful numbing sensation kicks in, and I can start to focus on getting up. I give myself thirty seconds to let as much of the pain go away as possible.

Yeah, that didn't really help. I still feel like shit.

Still, I need to get up and help. Slowly—ever so slowly—I manage to get to my feet. I fight off a moment's dizziness before I survey the battlefield. It looks like there are three commandos left, which is all well and good because I hate those bitches. Jenny, Garrus, and Liara are taking cover behind the railing of the walkway, so I move in next to Jenny. She gives me a quick glance when I come up next to her.

"You ok?" she asks, still concentrating on the firefight at hand.

"Fucking peachy," I say, starting to take aim at a commando. I let off a few shots in rapid succession, none of which break through the asari's barrier. Before I can get more shots in, she ducks behind her own cover.

"That looked like a pretty nasty hit," Jenny comments after blowing off one commando's head. Now we're down to two.

"It felt like a pretty nasty hit," I tell her, ducking down to let my shields recharge. As I'm hiding behind cover, I hear a triumphal "Scoped and dropped!" come from Garrus. I guess we're down to one.

With my shields fully recharged, I pop up above the railing just in time to see a ball of energy fly towards the final commando. In short order, she's floating around helplessly in midair. It doesn't take us long to finish her off.

Now that all of her thugs are gone, Benezia has no choice but to do some fighting for herself…at least until more of her thugs show up. But until that point, she has to face the four of us alone. The matriarch exits whatever cover she was using before and starts sending biotics and pistol shots our way. She seems to be focusing the biotic attacks at Liara while simultaneously alternating between Jenny, Garrus, and I with her pistol. I'll give her credit for being able to multi-task so well. Unfortunately for her, she can't stand up against the withering fire we're pouring into her.

Before we can break her biotic barrier, though, I hear two separate doors open. Damn, her reinforcements showed up. Benezia ducks back into cover as another squad of five commandos reaches her. And if that wasn't enough, I start to hear the classic mechanical sputtering that indicates geth. Sure enough, off to the right, there's a small squad of four geth. They haven't rounded the corner that would give them a clear shot at us, and personally, I don't want them to.

"Garrus, Dylan, get to that right corner and keep those geth off us!" Jenny orders, reading my mind. Our only confirmation of her order is us running to the aforesaid corner. I get there first, so I lean around the corner while Garrus pops above the railing.

Wanting to get off to a good start, I key up an Overload on my omni-tool. I target the lone shock trooper, and in a matter of seconds, the AI is left without any shields. Garrus uses this opportunity to blow its head off with a single well placed shot. Before I can even refocus on one of the other geth, I hear a quiet growl come from Garrus. Next thing I know, the other three geth are nothing more than a scrap heap.

Before I can even consider going back to help Jenny and Liara, I hear the doors open up once again. Ok, I guess we have a few more…geth…to kill…

…

That's not good.

At least ten asari commandos emerge from the door in front of me.

Fuck.

With no other option left to me, I start shooting.

"Jenny!" I yell into the radio, "We've got some extra company! I don't know if we can handle them!"

"We've got our own problem!" she shouts back. Damn, no back up from her, then. My only saving grace right now is the fact that the commandos have almost no cover. Also, the walkway is only wide enough for two of them to shoot at us at once. Still, there are just so damn many of them!

My Mattock starts to beep, and, swearing, I drop it and draw my Carnifex. This really isn't good. Suddenly, I hear…music. A completely unprovoked orchestra starts to play. Since I can hear it over the din of battle, this almost has to be in my head. But where's it coming from?

After a moment, the orchestra reaches an explosive crescendo. Without any other warning, all the air vents behind the enemy crash open. Garrus lets out a completely bestial growl. Unfortunately for him, he can't take his attention off of the commandos. Neither can I, even though I would much rather be shooting at the sudden army of rachni.

Yeah, you heard me. An _army_ of rachni. More than were at Peak 15. I'm scared.

Wait…hold on a second. What's going on?

The commandos are looking at the rachni with the same shocked expression I am.

Without any warning, the rachni soldier closest to the commandos lets loose a stream of acid. The acid impacts the rear asari and starts to do its job. In seconds, the acid eats through her armor. The screams start. Soon after, the asari lies dead.

Like water behind a broken dam, the rest of the rachni surge forth to meet the other commandos. When the two groups meet, the most horrific fighting I have ever seen starts to occur.

"We have even more company over here!" I yell into the radio again.

"Hold your fire," Jenny orders.

"WHAT?" Oh, Garrus doesn't sound happy.

"Let these two groups fight it out," she says. "We'll finish off the winner." That's a brutally efficient tactic.

"Fine," Garrus growls, still sounding completely livid.

* * *

After ten minutes, the fight is over. In one of the most lopsided fights I have ever had the misfortune of witnessing, the rachni emerge victorious. I'm not even sure they lost a single man…bug…thing. You know what I mean.

But now they aren't doing anything. They're just standing over the bodies of the commandos, looking at us.

"Garrus, Dylan, regroup with Liara and me."

"On our way, Jenny." With that, Garrus and I slowly start to back up to where Jenny and Liara are. We sure as hell aren't gonna turn our backs to the rachni, even if they did just kill off the commandos. When Garrus and I finally regroup with Liara and Jenny, the commander turns to look at us.

"I managed to get a shot in at Benezia during that fight," she says. "I wounded her, and she's still up on that platform. We need to apprehend her."

"Then why are we standing here?" I ask. Jenny just shakes her head and starts up the steps. The rachni actually back up as we get closer to them, allowing us clear access to the platform. Benezia is sitting against a terminal at the far end of the platform. A pool of blue blood has started to collect next to her.

"This is not over," she says quietly. "Saren is unstoppable. My mind is filled with his light. Everything is clear."

"The rachni didn't cooperate with you," Jenny says. "Why should I?"

"I will not betray him. You will…you…" She pauses, and during that pause, something seems to change. The matriarch's eyes seem to sharpen, become clear. Her whole bearing becomes less hostile. "You must listen. Saren still whispers in my mind. I can fight his compulsions. Briefly. But the indoctrination is strong."

"Why are you here? What does Saren want?"

"He sent me here to find the location of the Mu Relay. Its position was lost thousands of years ago." Suddenly she coughs. There's blood in it. She simply stares at the blood.

"The Mu Relay," Jenny muses to herself. "That's the area the rachni used to inhabit." She suddenly stops and looks at Benezia. I see her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "You didn't."

"Ah, but we did," Benezia says, sounding weaker than she did before. "Our scientists found a derelict rachni ship in the void of space. Imagine their surprise when they found a perfectly preserved queen egg. We hatched her, and wished to make her children ours. Unfortunately, we underestimated the sheer power a queen has over her brood. Even when separated, the queen held her sway. He children escaped and drove us from the main facility."

"But what does this have to do with the Mu Relay?" Jenny interrupts.

"The rachni can share memories across generations," Benezia explains, managing to sound even weaker. "Queens inherit the knowledge of their mothers. I took the location of the relay from the queen's mind." She pauses and suddenly looks remorseful. "I was not gentle."

"You can still make it right. Give me the information."

"I transcribed the data onto an OSD. It is on that table," she says, indicating a table off to the left.

"Knowing the relay's location is not enough. We must know where Saren plans to go."

"Saren never told me his final destination, but you must find out soon. I transmitted the coordinates to him before you arrived." She really doesn't sound good, and the pool of blood is slowly expanding. "I cannot go on, Shepard. I only hope that what I have done is enough."

"Mother!" Liara rushes to her mother's side.

"Good night, Little wing. I will see you again with the dawn. I…I love…" The matriarch slumps and remains still. Liara, still clinging to Benezia's sleeve, starts to cry. Not bawling, just a soft, understated sort of crying, like she's trying to keep it in and can't. Is Jenny just gonna let her cry it out? It kinda looks that way.

…

I need to do something. I can't bear this. I slowly walk over to Liara and crouch next to her. I place a hand on her shoulder, and she suddenly refocuses her cling to me. She just wraps her arms around me and cries into my shoulder. After a minute, the crying stops. Slowly, she detaches herself from me and stands up.

"Thank you, Dylan," she whispers.

"Any time, Liara," I whisper back. Acting as if nothing happened, we both walk back over to Jenny and Garrus.

_This one sings greeting-songs._

…

What the hell? That just sounded like music that spoke. Not singing, but the music itself actually speaking. Inside my head. I quickly look up at the rachni queen. It looks like she's looking at us, as well. Jenny also looks up at the queen.

"Is this who I think it is?"

_You direct your songs to Life-Singer. This one is the mother of those whose songs you thought silenced. We are rachni._

"How are you doing this?"

_Our kind communicates through the touching of thought. We pluck the strings, and the other understands. The children we birthed were stolen from us, but the song could not be silenced. We sang rebellion-songs, and the children listened. They escaped from the pain-singers and escaped to the glacier beneath the lab._

"What the fuck have you done with Ian?" Garrus suddenly yells.

_You sing in anger born of worry. Cease your worry-songs. Sings-Jokes has come to no harm from our children. His return-song has already begun. But what of us? What shall you sing? Will you release us, or are we to fade away once more?_

Oh shit, this is the moment of truth.

"They took Ian! Use those acid tanks and let this blight on the galaxy die forever."

"But the queen said they're bringing Ian back," I say cautiously, not wanting to piss Garrus off even more. "Besides, I think it was a mistake the first time. The Council let the krogan go too far."

"I agree with Dylan," Liara says. Jenny remains silent, staring at the queen in contemplation. Finally, she speaks up.

"Before I set you free, Ian must be returned."

_Your songs are fair. Sings-Jokes will arrive shortly. _

Five minutes later, the sea of rachni behind us parts. Ian, looking exhausted and disheveled, staggers up to us.

"Ian!" Garrus yells, running up to him and catching the Brit in a giant hug. "Are you alright?"

"I'll be ok," Ian breathes, sounding just as tired as he looks. "I just wanna get out of here."

"We have one last thing to do," Jenny says, walking over to the terminal by the cage. "A deal's a deal. You go free." She presses a button, opening the tank to the outside world. Life-Singer looks at us one more time.

_Thank you, Truth-Singer. Songs of your forgiveness will be sung to generations yet born. Farewell._

**A/N: And there we go! Noveria is done! I need to give a huge shout out to Myetel for letting me use her version of the rachni. She's created a wonderful culture for the rachni, and she kindly let me use it. She's a great writer, and all of you should check out her stories, Spirit of Truth and Spirit of Redemption.**

**Next chapter we'll have the aftermath of Noveria. We might even find out why the rachni took Ian. You guys and girls will just have to wait and see.**

**On another note, this chapter marks a huge milestone for me: I have now passed 100,000 words for this story! I honestly never thought I'd get here when I began. It's been a wild ride. And as if that wasn't enough, I'm so close to 200 reviews that I'll probably reach that with this chapter! So that's a double yay! And all a day before my birthday. What an awesome gift. Thanks to everyone who's been along for this crazy ride.**

**Anywho, until next time, ta ta!**


	23. Fluffy Time

**A/N: This must be a good day for SI fans. MtM, MV and WttF updating all in the same day? It's almost like we planned this.**

**Ok, so last chapter ended Noveria. I also didn't leave you folks with a cliffhanger! I bet you were all happy about that. So here's the first of (probably) two interim chapters. Be warned, for fluff shall abound. Also, there'll come a part that talks about a soothing melody. If you want to hear what I had in mind for it, listen to "Eyes Closing" by Two Steps From Hell.**

**Anywho, enjoy!**

**Fluffy Time**

Everyone from the ground team stumbles into the comm. room, nearly dead from fatigue. The squad members who weren't on Noveria are already sitting there waiting for us. We take our usual seats, Jenny heading to the head of the table. Ian practically falls into his chair. Poor guy must be absolutely exhausted after everything that happened to him today. Though he still hasn't said what exactly _did_ happen. Hell, he's barely said ten words since he came staggering up to us at the Rift Station.

"What happened down there, Commander?" Kaidan asks once we're all seated. "You guys look like hell."

"You missed quite a bit, Kaidan," Jenny says. "The good news is we managed to stop Benezia. The bad news is we almost lost Ian." Instantly, the rest of the squad looks over at the tired looking Brit.

"What happened, Ian?" Tali asks, speaking up in a meeting for one of the first times. "Are you alright?"

"Rachni," Ian whispers, not looking up from the table.

"What?" Wrex asks angrily. "There were _rachni_ down there?" He looks over at Jenny. "They better be dead, Shepard."

"They're not, and you can fight me over that decision after the debriefing. Yes, the rachni took Ian. They also brought him back."

"But what were the rachni doing on Noveria?" Kaidan asks. "I thought they were extinct."

"The scientists there found a preserved rachni egg in space," Jenny explains. "They hatched it and found that it was a queen. Her children escaped the scientists and took Ian."

"But why?" Tali asks, speaking up again. Once again, everyone looks at Ian. He actually hasn't told any of us yet.

"I don't wanna talk about it," he says, shivering slightly.

"But what if it has vital importance to the mission?" Ash asks.

"He doesn't want to talk about it," Garrus says, rather forcefully. Ash just puts her hands up and lets the matter drop.

"So what did the scientists—and Benezia—want with a rachni?" Kaidan asks, pulling us back to the topic at hand.

"Benezia probed the queen's memory to find the location of the Mu Relay," Jenny says. "Apparently Saren need to know where that relay is."

"So if we know where it is, why don't we head straight there?" Ash asks, sounding eager.

"That relay could link to dozens of systems. Unless we know where Saren's going, we'd just be wasting our time."

"The commander is right. We cannot rush off blind," Liara says. "We still need to learn more about Saren's plans." Ash pulls her head up, looking like she's going to retort to that, but she manages to hold her tongue. Wow, good job, Ash. If I remember correctly, she usually makes a snide remark there.

The crew falls silent for a while. After a while, I decide to break the silence.

"So what's next?" I ask, looking at Jenny.

"We're headed to the Citadel next," she says. "I'm pretty sure we could all use a break after that hellhole of a mission. We've got about 24 hours before arrival. Dismissed."

And with that wonderful order, the squad slowly starts to exit the comm. room. Kaidan and I end up walking down to the mess hall together. I crash down in one of the chairs, tiredness overriding my incredible post-mission hunger. I lay my head on the table in the classic "I will sleep anywhere possible" pose and try to let some of the tiredness leave my body. I hear a chair across from me scrape along the floor.

"Tired, kid?" Kaidan asks. I can almost hear his smile.

"Nah, I just think this table needs an up-close inspection," I say, not bothering to lift my head. I get a small chuckle from the biotic. After that, a silence descends over the mess hall. I'm surprised we're the only two in here. I guess everyone else went to the cargo or crew deck.

"So I never thanked you for having my back in that bar fight," Kaidan says, breaking the silence. I finally lift my head off the table to look at him.

"It's the Bro Code, Kaidan," I tell him. "Helping you wasn't even a question." Then I snort, remembering the stuff that led up to said fight. "That was a hell of a poker game, though."

"Ha, yeah. I still can't believe Garrus actually said that to Wrex. And lived."

"Well, Wrex was in rare form, himself, that night," I say with a smile. "He wasn't letting anyone off the hook."

"I think you and Ian got it the worst."

"It wouldn't be a bro-night without at least one gay joke."

"Or talking about relationships in general," he says, probably trying to sound casual about it. Nice try, Kaidan, I see where you're trying to spin this conversation.

"Yeah…I forget how good krogan hearing is."

"So Wrex was telling the truth?" Kaidan asks, finally deciding to stop beating around the bush.

"For a certain value of 'truth'," I tell him. "I wouldn't say we're in a relationship, but I think the possibility's there. As of now, we've expressed a…mutual attraction."

"Well that's great, kid," he says with a smile. "That's sure as hell better than nothing. I'm glad you and the Chief are finding some happiness."

"Thanks, Kaidan. Glad someone isn't skipping straight to teasing." For some reason, that just earns me an even bigger grin.

"Eh, that'll come later. Gotta let it get to a good part, first."

"Gee, thanks, Kaidan," I say, giving a look.

"Anytime, kid," he says, grin still plastered on his face. I can't help but face-palm. "So how'd it start?"

"I really don't know," I tell him, taking my face out of my palm. "I think it might have started after Eden Prime. She seemed so…sad and guilty about her squad. After that, we just kept talking." I pause, thinking back. "Then Feros happened, and she got hurt. I think that's when I realized my feelings might have slipped a little past friendship."

"Sounds like you might be past 'mutual attraction' too."

I remain silent for a while after that. Could it really be that? I mean, she's nice, tough, caring, funny, can kick ass…and I'd be lying if I didn't say her looks played a part. (I like to think they're a small part, though.) What's not to like?

"Your silence sounds a lot like a 'yes' to me," Kaidan says after a while.

"If I'm being honest with myself, I'd say you're right."

"Does Ash know?" I just shake my head. "I think you should tell her."

"Do you really think she'd respond well to that?" I don't know why I'm suddenly having this heartfelt conversation with Kaidan, but he seems like the kind of guy who gives good advice. Hell, he's starting to feel kind of like an older brother.

"She'd probably like the directness, if nothing else." Well that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. "But I get the feeling that if she also 'expressed mutual attraction', her feelings probably run deeper than she's admitting. She doesn't seem like the kind of girl to go after guys for looks only."

"You're probably right about that," I say. "To be honest, I hadn't even thought about that."

"My advice: just go for it," Kaidan tells me. "I think your chances are better than you think."

"Thanks, Kaidan," I say, giving him a smile. "You know, I think I'm gonna go talk to her now."

"Atta boy, Dylan. Good luck."

"I'm gonna need it," I tell him as I get up from the table, albeit slowly. He just chuckles.

With (probably false) courage coursing through my veins, I get into the elevator, ready to profess my feelings to Ash.

I really hope this elevator is as fast as it has been. I really don't want this courage to suddenly disappear. I'm on a kind of high after Kaidan's little pep talk, and I don't want the chance to chicken out.

But seriously, I think Kaidan was right. Waiting is probably the worst thing I could do right now. Now that Noveria's done, Virmire is up next. Fuck. I'm fully aware that my plan to save both Kaidan and Ash might fail, so if I want to have any happy moments with Ash, I should probably get them in soon.

Ok, pessimism is over. I'm gonna save both of them and have plenty of time to spend with Ash. But still, the more time the better, right?

Luckily, the elevator opens before I can psyche myself out any more. I walk past Wrex, who seems to be in a rather heated discussion with Jenny at the moment. Good, maybe he'll be too busy to listen in on me and Ash. Speaking of Ash, she's at her work table, idly cleaning one of the rifles.

"Hey, Ash," I say, coming up to stand behind her. She looks over her shoulder to see who it is then puts the rifle down and turns around.

"Hey, Dylan," she echoes, giving me a smile. "What's up?"

"Oh, I uhh…" Shit. Courage, where'd you go? Damn it, damn it, damn it. Shit, now I need to think of something. My armor! I still haven't taken my armor off from the mission! "I just came down here to get my armor stowed." She gives me a slightly skeptical look, but she lets it go.

"Looks like it took some damage," she comments as I start peeling the suit off.

"We had a long string of firefights without any cover." I finally get out of the armor and start putting it away in my locker.

"You're gonna need a new pauldron," she says when I reach that particular piece.

"Yeah. I'm lucky as hell that it stopped the bullet. Hell, I'm lucky that I didn't get injured at all," I say with a snort of laughter.

"Feels good not to end a mission in the med bay, doesn't it?" I just laugh.

"Also feels good not having to worry about saving your admittedly pretty ass."

"Jerk," she says, punching my shoulder. I can't help but laugh. I even start to see a smile break through her façade of seriousness.

"You know you love it," I tell her with a giant grin.

"We're done talking about that."

"Fine, fine. So how was the ship while we were away?" I ask, trying to steer the conversation to safer topics. How can this be so easy while trying to talk about our possible relationship is so hard? It doesn't make sense.

"Boring," she groans. "I ended up just sitting in my room reading."

"Sounds like a pretty good time to me."

"And that's why you're the nerd," she jibes with a smile. I just grin and bear it. I also can't really think of a comeback for that, so I just stay silent. We both stay silent for a while, so I take this lapse in the conversation to look around the cargo deck. Jenny and Wrex are still engaged in a heated discussion, and Garrus actually isn't by the Mako. Wow. He's probably still with Ian, wherever that is. Suddenly I hear a sigh from Ash.

"Ok, come with me." Wait, what?

"What?"

"I said follow me," she tells me, starting to walk towards the elevator. I follow her, slightly apprehensive about this whole thing. She calls the lift and steps in when the doors open. I enter right on her heels. Once we're in the elevator, Ash hits the "close door" button but doesn't choose a deck.

…

What's going on here?

"Ok, Dylan, why did you really come down to talk to me?" Ash asks, sounding somewhat impatient. Oh shit. Right, time to play it cool…hopefully.

"What makes you ask that?"

"I heard your footsteps coming across the cargo bay. You seemed in a hurry to talk to me. I doubt it was to make small talk."

"Aw, you mean you don't like our small talk?" I ask, trying to hide behind humor. She doesn't answer, instead giving me a serious look. I just sigh. "Alright, you caught me."

"Why did you want to talk to me?" No way to get out of this. Here it is. The moment of truth.

"I'm probably gonna mess this up, but…" I pause and take a deep breath, closing my eyes. After a second, I open them and look Ash straight in the eyes. "I wanted to talk to you about us. Please, just let me get all this out. I won't be able to if you interrupt. I don't think I was being honest with you last time we talked." She looks like she's going to interrupt, but I raise a hand. "Let me finish. I think my feelings go beyond just physical attraction. I like you, Ash. Hell, I really like you. And…I don't think it's fair to either of us if we keep beating around the bush with this. Do you want to go see a vid on the Citadel tomorrow? You know, as a date?"

By the time I finish, Ash has what I can only assume to be a shocked expression. After a bit of silence, that expression turns into a soft smile.

Before I know what's happening, Ash closes the short distance between us, goes up on tiptoes, and brushes her lips against my cheek. The fleeting kiss happened so fast that I'm not even sure it actually did.

"It's a date," she whispers into my ear. Before I can even react to this, she's out of the elevator. The door closes again, and I fall back against the wall and slide down it. Did that really just happen? I think it did…

I have a date with Ash.

* * *

Later that night—I mean really late—I once again exit the elevator on the cargo deck. After the (awesome) conversation with Ash in the elevator, I spent the rest of the day relaxing after the mission. I didn't really do anything of import, which is why I skipped over all of it.

Anywho, I just now remembered that I never really finished putting away my armor, so I'm here to remedy that. I walk up to my locker to find that all of my armor is stored away all nice and neat. Aw, I bet Ash did that. As I mentally send some thanks Ash's way, I hear voices coming from by the Mako. I slowly turn around to see Ian and Garrus leaning against the vehicle, talking. Being the bastard I am, I eavesdrop.

"Are you sure you're alright, asperitalla?" Garrus asks, sounding really concerned.

"Fine," Ian replies, sounding anything but. "I don't want to talk about it." Garrus looks down at him, concern written all over his face…I think. I still can't read turians very well.

"That doesn't sound fine."

"Leave it," Ian snaps. Shit. I've never heard him snap at Garrus like that. "They got me, I'm back, let's just be happy with that, okay?"

"Believe me, I'm ecstatic," Garrus says, "but you've been acting strange. I'm worried, Ian."

"For fuck's sake, Garrus, of course I've been acting strange! What did you fucking expect? I get taken by aliens, I'm in constant fear every second that they suddenly decide to take my life, alone! So no, Garrus. I'm not alright. But I'm dealing with it."

Even after Ian's sudden outburst, Garrus remains calm. "Then let me help you. What happened?"

"They took me," he whispers, sliding down to the floor, shaking his head. Garrus sits down next to him.

"Trust me, I remember that part. What happened after they took you?"

"It was dark." He pauses and looks down. "Hundreds of them, carrying me along. And then, I heard her..."

* * *

A song resounds through the darkness. Ian, still being carried by innumerable rachni, suddenly ceases his struggles and listens intently at the melody. He has no way of knowing where the song is coming from, but he gets the feeling it's not in the tunnel: there's no echo. The melody continues, and Ian, who's rightfully quite worried because of his current situation, begins to calm. He's not sure what it is, but the melody seems to soothe him, making him forget the trouble he's in.

The rachni finally stop and deposit Ian on a flat rock. He sits there, unmoving, while the rachi create a wide ring around him. However, he doesn't feel worried at the prospect of being surrounded. The song seems to drain any worry away. After a while, Ian finally feels able to speak.

"So, uh...what are we all waiting for?" he asks. Only silence meets him. "Nice song you've all got going here. Seriously." Still more silence. "Fuck, tough crowd...actually, can I just clarify, you're not going to kill me? Right? That's not what we're waiting for?" The silence starts to overpower the calming effects of the song. "Anyone want to help me out here? Anyone?" Still nothing, the song almost useless now. "Anyone want to say anything at all?" Now he raises his voice. "Come on! Talk! TALK!"

_Fear not, Sings-Jokes. My children sing no danger-songs at you._

Ian whirls around frantically at hearing the voice that suddenly appeared in his head. "Oh shit, what the fuck...which one of you did that? Get out of my head!"

_I did not intend to cause fear-songs within you, Sings-Jokes. I am Life-Singer, mother of this brood. The cold-song asari keeps me imprisoned, so I must sing directly to your mind._

Ian takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. "Life-Singer...what, you're the Rachni Queen? And the cold-song asari is Benezia?"

_You sing correctly._

"Then what do you want from me?" he asks, looking at the silent, unmoving rachni and shivering. "My squad is up there, fighting the cold-song asari. I can help them free you! Sing help-songs, yeah?"

_When you and your hive entered the place of horror, my brood warriors heard your song. You sang not of more experiments, but of necessity. Your songs were different. We wished to sing understanding-songs._

"Kidnap is a hell of a way to do that," he says with a nervous chuckle.

_We heard your fear-songs in the place of horror. We knew you would not sing cooperation-songs. The only way was to sing one on one._

He frowns at that, thinking. "You're right. I thought you were here to kill us...I thought that was why I'm here." He looks at the surrounding rachni, feeling a sense of fear despite Life-Singer's assurances. "Why are they all here? You're not going to kill me, are you?"

_Silence your fear-songs. My children will sing no harm-songs upon you, Sings-Jokes. You sit in the hive they have created._

Ian nods, still having doubts about all of this. "I thought...if they were separated from you, how are they all so coherent? I was expecting them to be borderline rabid."

_The cold-song asari underestimated the power of a queen's song. Even seperated, I could provide the comfort-songs a hatchling needs._

"Hatchlings aren't the only ones who need that..." he mutters. "You still haven't said why I'm here. I know you want to talk, but what about?"

_You and your hive sang different songs from the cold-song asari, but you and another sang still different songs. We were curious._

"That's it? You were curious?" he asks, sounding furious. He looks about ready to shout, but with a great show of restraint, he holds back. He sighs quietly. "You know what, forget it. You happy now? Have I sung enough?"

_Yes. We thank you for your cooperation-songs. We understand that our kind can cause fear-songs in others, and we sing apology-songs. The rest of your hive is combating the cold-song asari. Your return songs should begin._

"They're fighting Benezia?" Suddenly, every nerve snaps to attention. "I need to help them, now! How are they?" He stops, a thought coming into his head. "Fuck, how's Garrus? The turian?"

_He sings anger- and worry-songs, as does the rest of your hive. However, his are more pronounced._

"Poor bastard…" he sighs. "So what happens now? I need to go back to them, please."

_Your return-song shall begin, but the distance is far. The cold-song asari is already weakening._

"Then we don't have any time to waste," he says, looking around at the assembled rachni. Suddenly, he has a thought. "I can't move as fast as you...but you can help them, right? There must be hundreds of you here; we can use them to attack Benezia!" A long silence follows Ian's proclamation. Finally, Life-Singer speaks up.

_You sing wisely. Assistance-songs will be sung. I only hope your hive mates can suppress their fear-songs._

"I'm pretty sure if you start tearing through the people who're trying to kill them, they might be a bit more co-operative." The rachni start to file out of the cavern, and Ian realizes how tired he is from this ordeal. "If I don't get back by the time they've defeated the cold-song, tell them I'm alright. No worry-songs? Especially for the turian."

_We hear your songs and shall sing them anew to your hive. Once again, we sing apology-songs for what we forced you to experience._

"Alright," he says, taking a deep breath and looking at the exit. "Just follow the hive to find them, right?"

_You sing correctly. We sing farewell-songs, Sings-Jokes. Goodbye._

"Goodbye, Life-Singer," he mutters as he jogs off. "Let's not do this again anytime soon..."

* * *

Ian falls silent as his story comes to a close. He looks tired just from retelling that. I can't imagine how he _lived_ through it. Though I wonder…apparently the queen took him because his song was different. What the hell does that mean? I mean, Ian was never in the game…maybe that's it. Maybe me being here somehow caused Garrus to get a partner. Freaking butterfly effect. Never know what's gonna happen.

Anywho, Garrus is just kinda sitting there, looking shocked after Ian's story. Finally, he speaks up.

"S'kak. That was a hell of a story, asperitalla. I can see how that would shake you up."

"Yeah, just a bit," Ian says, chuckling dryly. "The rachni aren't bad. It's just...fuck, it was scary."

"I feel awful that I didn't protect you from that," Garrus says, sounding truly apologetic.

"Hey, don't. I'm the idiot who charged into them."

"Then I should have been the one to drag your ass back," Garrus says, jokingly. But I still hear something behind the light tone. I'm just not sure what.

"Well, I appreciate the sentiment," the Brit says with a smile. "Thanks for talking with me. I know how bad you were freaking out when it happened." Garrus looks down after Ian says that.

"I just...I was scared. Those rachni grabbed you, and I had no clue what to do."

Ian frowns. "That's not like you. You're supposed to be the level headed one out of both of us."

"That's what made it even worse," Garrus says. "I'm not used to feeling like that."

"Then what changed that made you feel it?" Ian asks with a curious look. "We've been in bad situations before." Garrus just sighs.

"I don't know. Maybe I was just so concerned that it overrode everything else."

"Then we need to look at what made you concerned." He grabs Garrus' attention, making eye contact. "You've always been concerned about me. So the change must be your perspective on me, right?" A long silence follows Ian's question.

"You've been a brother to me for over a year now," Garrus finally says. "Where else can it go?"

Ian stares back at Garrus. It looks like he's trying to gauge his mood. "You want my honest guess?" he asks.

"Have I ever asked for anything else?" Garrus replies, returning Ian's look.

"Then...look, if I'm wrong, this is gonna be viciously awkward." He takes a deep breath, seeming to prepare himself mentally for something. What could that big that he needs mental preparation? "This goes beyond friendship, doesn't it? Somewhere along the line, you started caring for me as more than a brother, or am I crazy?"

…

Hold up, wait, what? Umm…huh. I'm…feeling slightly less comfortable. On the other hand, my natural curiosity is taking over. I decide to stay.

Garrus sits, staring at Ian for a long while. "That can't be it...but why not?" he mutters, barely loud enough for me to hear. Back in his normal voice, he says, "You're not crazy, Ian. I think I'm the crazy one here."

"What're you talking about?" Ian asks, sounding confused.

"Crazy for letting my feeling get this far away from me," the turian replies. "I won't let it happen again." Ian puts his hands on Garrus' shoulder.

"Fradu, slow down. You're not making sense."

"I nearly let my feelings get in the way of our friendship," he says, sounding almost ashamed. Right now, I'm kind of feeling ashamed that I'm still here. "I'm sorry."

"No no no, hey, listen to me," Ian says, suddenly putting a hand on Garrus face, making them lock eyes. "This isn't ruining anything. I mean, you're confirming what I already thought, and..." He looks away, also starting to sound ashamed. "Garrus, to me, nothing you do can get in the way of us. Nothing. Especially when I think I have your feelings."

Why the hell am I still standing here?

"I...you mean...it doesn't bother you?"

"No," Ian tells him, softly. Almost idly, he starts to stroke Garrus' mandible with his thumb. "I was worried it would bother you."

Garrus closes his eyes, and I can hear that same slight purring sound I've heard before. "Ian—asperitalla—what does all this mean?"

"It means we like each other. As more than friends." He smiles softly, looking absolutely serene. I feel like a douche for intruding on this. "If you know what I mean."

"How the hell did it come to this," Garrus asks in a slightly joking tone. "Can we even make this work?"

Ian just shrugs. "We've spent years together, closer than anyone else in our lives. Something had to give eventually...and I don't see why it can't work." He smiles again. "Can you?"

"I can think of a few rules we're probably breaking," Garrus says, lightheartedly. Then he chuckles. "Then again, when have we ever cared about rules?"

"Exactly," Ian says, placing both hands on Garrus' face. "Fuck the rules. There's no point hiding from it anymore. We're gonna try and make this work, alright?"

Garrus reciprocates Ian's gesture, placing both his talons on Ian's face. "Spirits hear your words. We'll find a way. We always have."

Slowly, Garrus leans in, placing his forehead against Ian's.

I should go.

**I believe it's time for a collective "D'awww". Like I said, this was a fluff chapter. **

**So I think it should be obvious that I need to thank iNf3ctioNZ for helping out with Ian's dialogue this chapter. We've both been waiting quite a while for this chapter. I hope you guys and gals liked it as much as we do.**

**Anywho, that's it for now. Next up we'll have some Citadel stuff. Don't worry, I'm pretty sure no one's gonna get captured this time. Till next time, ta ta!**


	24. Filler and Fluff

**A/N: So I left you guys and gals with a giant reveal last chapter. Just so there's no ambiguity: Yes, Ian and Garrus are in a relationship. If this is a deal breaker for you, I'm sorry to hear that. But this is my story, so please respect that. Anywho, enough of my ramblings, you people want to read this chapter. Enjoy!**

**Filler and Fluff**

Slowly, I skulk away from the work table, trying to keep Ian and Garrus ignorant of my presence. I…I really can't believe that I heard all that. I also can't believe that I was enough of a douche to actually _stay around_ to listen to that. I'm starting to doubt that I have any morals at all.

But seriously, that was a fairly striking revelation. I…really wasn't expecting to hear anything like that. I mean…Ian and Garrus are…gay? I…I would have never guessed. Personally, I thought Ian was getting a little sweet on Tali; though now that I think about it, I never really saw them talking all that much.

I guess this explains that one moment after Feros. I just thought they were being bros, but I can see now that it was probably the start of something just a _tad_ more.

So Ian and Garrus are now in a relationship. What does that change?

…

I really can't think of anything. Anything I can think of is also applicable to a heterosexual couple, like Ash and me. I guess if their mission performance doesn't get affected, I'm in no place to find fault with it.

So good for them. As Kaidan said to me, I'm glad they can find a little happiness.

"And you thought I was joking," Wrex suddenly rumbles. Whoa, I hadn't even realized the krogan was even in here. How the hell did I miss him?

"What are you talking about, Wrex?" I ask him, stopping to look at the hulking mercenary.

"At the bar. When I told you that Ian might as well hop in the turian's lap."

"Well, to be fair, we thought you were just drunk," I tell him.

"Please," he scoffs, "they didn't have any _real_ ryncol. That swill couldn't get a whelp drunk."

"So how did you know?" I ask, cutting to the chase.

"I've been around a long time, boy. After a while, the mating habits of other species become easy to read." Then he pauses and chuckles. "Plus, everyone on this ship seems to forget how good krogan hearing is. They're always down here talking. They probably don't even realize it, but I can even smell it on them."

…

Hold up, wait, what?

"Did…did you just…You can _smell_ something like that?" I ask, incredulously.

"How the hell do you think I know that you just scored with the chief?"

…

Wh…wha…hold up. Did he…

I blink. "The fuck? How in the hell—"

"Didn't I just explain this?" he interrupts. "I may not know exactly how you scored, but the fact that you did is very evident. You're lucky other species don't have a krogan's sense of smell."

"Any other relationships you wanna inform me of?" I ask, deciding to just ignore his last comment.

"Can't tell with the quarian," Wrex starts. Holy hell, I'm surprised he's actually answering my question. "Can't smell anything with those damn suits. The asari doesn't seem to know what feelings are: I haven't seen any hints at all with her. Pretty boy seems sweet on someone, but I couldn't tell you who. Haven't been around him enough to take a guess." And with that, he falls silent.

"And what about Jenny? You seem to have skipped her."

"I can't get a read on Shepard. That's one reason I respect her: she's different, not like other humans."

"Well, Wrex, this was all very…enlightening," I say, deciding to finally get up to bed. We should be pretty close to the Citadel when I wake up. "See ya around, Wrex."

"Dylan," he says, with a nod. I suppress a chuckle at the fact that we nearly shared a "Wrex—Shepard" moment. I've gotta see if he does that next time.

Anywho, I walk away from the old krogan merc and enter the elevator. Quickly enough, I'm in my room, in my bed, and out like a light.

* * *

I wake up at around 10:30 to the sound of my empty stomach. Holy crap, it sounded like a freaking lion roaring. Not wanting to waste any time, I grab a quick shower before heading up to the mess hall. I exit the elevator to the sound of many voices coming from the mess. Rounding the corner, I see the whole squad (minus Wrex) sitting at the tables. I'm greeted with a chorus of "hellos", and I return them while grabbing some waffles. Food in hand, I take a seat next to Ash and across from Ian and Garrus.

Let's hope I don't accidentally bring up something I shouldn't. I'm pretty sure they want their relationship to stay secret. Though I wonder if gay jokes would be too much…yeah, probably. I'm just gonna pretend that I never heard anything.

Ash gives me a warm smile as I sit down, which I promptly return. Other than that, we don't give any other outward signs of affection. Personally, I want to keep "us" on the down-low, and I'm pretty sure she does too. Granted, Kaidan knows my feelings for Ash, but he still doesn't know what happened after his little pep-talk. I guess Wrex knows, too, but he hardly talks to anyone, so I'm not too concerned.

The talk around the table is focused on Noveria. Kaidan, Ash, and Tali really want to know what went on down there, and the debriefing yesterday didn't really go into any detail. At the moment, it's Jenny's story.

"So we go into the power core to turn the generator back on," she says. Then she stops and looks at me. "Actually, I'm glad you showed up, Dylan. Tell them what you found in the generator room." Wow, I'm here five seconds, and I'm already part of the story? Geez, can't a guy have time to eat? Oh well. Some story time can't hurt.

"Yeah, sure," I say after taking a quick bite of waffles. I look at the others and try to get into storyteller mode. "There were two paths to the generator, but the first path we tried had a little surprise. Anyone care to guess what it was?" I see Ian about to answer. "Someone who _wasn't_ there," I add, giving Ian a grin.

"A rachni?" Ash guesses.

"Oh, good guess, given the circumstances," I tell her with a smile, also giving her knee a squeeze under the table. "Anyone else?" I wait, looking at Kaidan and Tali. They both shake their heads. "Well the first path wasn't even there anymore."

"And that means what, exactly?" Kaidan asks, giving me a clueless look.

"It means that the walkway was gone. Destroyed. Well, technically it was cut away by acid, so Ash, you were pretty close with your guess. Sure freaked the hell out of me."

"And it just gets better," Jenny says, taking up the story again.

Since I was there, I sort of zone out, focusing more on my breakfast than the story. I still follow along—laughing when necessary and smiling at the others' shocked expressions at various parts of the story—but this is more about the experience than the actual story. Once again, I'm reminded of just how real all of this is.

I mean, seriously, I'm sitting in the mess hall on the Normandy, eating breakfast with people who were nothing more than pixels on a screen a month ago. Hell, I'm in a relationship with one of them. It really is a testament to the adaptability of the human mind that I haven't gone crazy…

Or maybe I've been crazy this entire time…Ehh, it's too early for a metaphysical conundrum.

Anywho, due to the laws of narrative causality, we finish up story time right as Joker docks us with the Citadel. With an entire day to spend however we want, everyone splits into their usual groups. Ian and Garrus head straight up to the CIC, along with Jenny. Liara heads into the med bay, presumably to get something from her room. Tali, Kaidan, Ash and I all enter the elevator. Ash and I stand along one wall while Kaidan and Tali stand against the other.

"So you have any plans on the Citadel, kid?" Kaidan asks after the door closes. I give a quick glance at Ash, and she gives a small smile and nod. I guess she's ok, if these two know.

"Well, I've gotta get my armor fixed after the frozen hell it went through then Ash and I are gonna go catch a vid." Kaidan just gets this huge grin on his face.

"Glad to hear it, kid. You two have fun."

"Thanks, Kaidan," I say, feeling the heat rise in my face. "We'll try."

* * *

Well, I got some good news and some bad news at Miller & McCarthy. Good news is that Joel can fix my armor at a decent price. Bad news is that it'll take two hours. Though now that I think about it, that's not such a bad thing after all. It gives Ash and I time to go see that movie.

Speaking of which, the two of us are now standing outside the theater, trying to figure out what to see. I have never heard of any of these movies: _The Healing of the Predator, Mist of the Shores, Broken Emperor, Slave of Death_ just to name a few. I look over at Ash, and she's wearing the same confused look that I am.

"Do you have any idea what any of these are about?" I ask.

"Not a clue," she says.

Finally, a name that I somewhat recall from the game comes across the board: _Blasto the Jellyfish Stings_.

"What about _Blasto_?"

"Do you know what it's about?" she asks in response.

"All I know is that it's about the first hanar Spectre," I tell her, honestly. Seriously, that's all I know. "It sounds like an action comedy."

"Why not? Looks like there's a showing in ten minutes."

"Then let's go."

I manage to convince her that letting me buy her ticket and snacks isn't the end of the world. We enter a surprisingly crowded theater and find two seats. Soon enough, the lights dim and the movie starts.

As action comedies go, it's not bad. Kinda like _Dirty Harry_, only replace Harry with a hanar, and replace San Fran with the Citadel. The hanar actor, Brings-Enjoyment-Through-Acting (freaking hanar names), managed to find the right balance to make almost everything he said hilarious bad.

After the laughably predictable ending, the lights come back up, and I take my arm from around Ash's shoulders. We head back to Miller & McCarthy in a comfortable silence, perfectly content to just enjoy the walk together. Luckily, Joel has my armor all ready to go, so I pay him and head out.

Well now we're done with everything we planned on doing…and we still have a good few hours before we need to be back on the Normandy. Even though we just got done snacking at the theater, we decide to grab a bite to eat. Sort of a do-over for the last time we tried. We actually manage to find a human restaurant this time, so we get a table and settle in for some good ole human food.

The meal is a pleasant one. While waiting for the food, the conversation revolves around the movie we just saw. Ash and I both agree that it was an entertaining film, but it wasn't award winning. Once the food gets here, the conversation slows down. After we're done, we stay at the table for a while and just…talk. Nothing fancy, just trying to get to know each other better. I ask her some questions about her family and growing up with three other sisters, and she asks me what it was like being an only child. While I can't be _completely_ honest with her about my past, almost everything about it seems to have been paralleled in this universe, so I can cover a broad truth. I don't feel great about doing it, but I'm also not ready for anyone to know that I'm from another universe.

We finally leave the restaurant after some pointed looks from the serving staff. Apparently we were hogging a table. We spend the next hour or so just wandering the Citadel, enjoying the sights and each other's company. Finally, our time comes to end, as all good things must.

Walking back onto the Normandy, it turns out we're the last ones to get back.

"How nice of you to join us," Joker says as Ash and I walk into the CIC.

"Aww, were you waiting for us, Joker? How cute. I didn't know you cared."

"I'm perfectly fine with leaving your slow ass behind, but I don't think Shepard would appreciate having two of her ground team stranded on the Citadel."

"You're saying these words, Joker, but I know you don't mean them," I say.

"She specifically told me to wait until everyone was onboard," he replies. "'Cause apparently she wants to have a meeting with everyone. Speaking of that, I should probably let everyone know about that. You guys can head into the comm. room."

"Cool. Thanks, Joker," I say, turning toward the comm. room.

"See ya around, flyboy," Ash adds, following me through the CIC. A few minutes later, everyone's seated around the table.

"I'm pretty sure you all want to know why you're here," Jenny says to start this meeting off.

"We're on the edges of our seats," Ian says, sarcastically. Jenny just gives him a look, which he returns with a grin.

"The Council is looking into some intel they recently acquired," Jenny explains, deciding to ignore Ian's comment. "But until they figure it all out, our hunt for Saren is on hold." Wait, what? I thought the Council tells you about Virmire after the second mission. We should already know about that by now!

"So what do we do in the meantime?" I ask, unable to contain my curiosity.

"The Alliance has reminded me that I'm still human," she answers, sounding vexed. "So they've given me a few things that they want taken care of. I'm letting all of you know right now that we'll be on missions as often as we can be." That earns a groan from everyone, excluding Wrex. "I know, I know. I don't like it anymore than you do. But we have orders. You'll all have the rest of the day to yourselves, but we're already headed to the first mission. Tomorrow morning at 08:00, I want Ash, Wrex, Garrus, and Kaidan in here for a briefing. Until then, you're all dismissed."

Well this sounds _fun_. It's side quest time.

* * *

The next two weeks pass by in a blur. When I'm not on missions, my day-to-day schedule follows a pretty set routine: wake up, eat breakfast with the squad, spend some time with Ash, spend some time reading or talking to anyone who's not on a mission, eat an early dinner, take the late shift in engineering, talk to Jenny, go to bed. As far as routines go, I've had worse.

All the time I've spent with Ash has really been great. We're still trying to keep our relationship on the down-low, so we haven't been too open with any displays of affection, but just having the time to get to know each other is helping the relationship along. This isn't to say that all our time together was making goo-goo eyes at each other. She's actually been teaching me some hand-to-hand. I'm not great, but I've probably risen above "bar fighter" level.

And all of this was between missions. I think we were doing a mission every other day. At least we had some down time, though. Jenny paired us all off and took two pairs on every mission. We would have two missions on and two off. I have no idea how Jenny managed to stay alive, seeing as she led every mission. I ended up being on the Moon mission, clearing a random Cerberus base, clearing a random pirate den, and dealing with Nassana Dantius' sister. I know that at some point we got Wrex's family armor because he seemed…less hostile to everybody for a while.

Anywho, Ash and I just got finished sparring, and whatever mission the others were on just got done. I gotta say, even though we're technically dating, Ash doesn't pull her punches during practice. I know that the fact that we're only sparring means that she isn't going full force, but damn! I've got a rich history of bruises from the past two weeks. Suddenly Jenny's voice comes over the intercom.

"Would all members of the ground team please report to the comm. room. The Council finally got us some intel. It's time to plan."

Yes! Finally, side quest time is over! As much as I actually enjoyed these two weeks (all things considered), I'm ready for Virmire.

Wait…

Fuck, no I'm not. In these last two weeks, I've cemented a relationship with Ash, and Kaidan's like the cool older brother I never had. There's a real possibility that one of them won't survive Virmire. If it comes down to it, my choice on who to save is clear, but I want to avert that choice at all cost. So far, the only thing I can think of is offering to save Ash while Jenny saves Kaidan. I know it's not very sophisticated, and Jenny might not even approve it, but I need to try.

Over the course of that entire internal monologue, Ash and I have entered the elevator and are heading up to the CIC. For some reason, I cannot stop thinking about losing Ash on Virmire.

I'm scared. I truly am scared of that possibility.

We're standing in the elevator alone, my arm around Ash's waist. Still thinking about Virmire, I subconsciously hug her tighter. This causes her to look up at me with a questioning glance. I meet her gaze and somehow lose myself in those magnificent brown eyes.

Slowly, and with almost no conscious thought, I lean down and place my lips on hers. Our first kiss isn't one of heated passion, but one of tender care.

Somehow, part of my brain still works enough to remind me that we're in an elevator. The door could open at any time. Regretfully, I pull back before it can go any further. Ash just stands there for a while, looking at me.

"Wh…why?"

"Just…just 'cause. I think we both know that this is gonna be a big mission. So let's say it was for luck," I say with a soft smile.

"Well we may need some more luck before we start this mission," she replies with a smile of her own.

"Is that an order?"

"What do you think?"

Before I can answer, the door opens, and any privacy we had disappears. With a sigh, we exchange knowing glances and walk out of the elevator.

In the comm. room, there's a holographic display of a lush garden world, looking quite similar to Earth. It's strange how such a beautiful planet can be home to such horrible things.

"Alright, everyone, listen up," Jenny says once everyone's seated. "Like I said over the intercom, the Council finally got us some intel. Our target: Virmire, a garden planet in the Hoc System in the Sentry Omega. The Council received a garbled message from an STG unit on the planet. The message was incomprehensible, but it was sent on top-priority frequencies. We're being sent to investigate."

"So what does this have to do with Saren?" Tali asks.

"The salarians were tasked with finding Saren's base. If they're sending messages on that frequency, it probably means they've found it."

"So now we come up with a plan," Garrus says, almost sounding like a purr…but not _that_ kind of purr, no. I actually haven't seen a repeat of that night's performance. There haven't really been any outward signs. It still just looks like they're two bros being bros. honestly, If I hadn't heard it directly, I wouldn't have a clue that anything was different.

"Exactly," Jenny says, injecting a good amount of force behind the statement. "From what the Council's analysts have been able to determine, the signal came from this general area." A patch of the hologram gets highlighted and zoomed in on. "As you can see, there are numerous AA guns in this small area alone. As a best guess, the salarians have set up camp here." A marker shows up on the map in a rather secluded basin. The only real way in is either by air—impossible due to the guns—or by a winding river bed. Said river bed is blocked at three points by what appear to be checkpoints. One of them even has an AA gun.

"As you can see, it's gonna be tough to get there. The AA guns prevent the Normandy from just dropping us in. The only option I can see is sending the Mako up this river bed. Do you guys see any other possibilities?"

"Well, it's not so much a new idea as an extension of yours," Ash starts. "It looks like one of the checkpoints on that river has an AA gun. If we can take that gun out, the Normandy can fly through the breach and meet the Mako team at the salarian camp." We all take the next few moments to study the map. I'm pretty sure that's what happened in the game, so it sounds good to me.

"It looks tactically sound," Kaidan says after a moment's study. Everyone else offers some kind of agreement with the plan.

"Then it's settled," Jenny says. "Ash, since this was partly your plan, I want you on the Mako team. Also Wrex, Liara, and Dylan. We'll be arriving tomorrow at 10:00. The Mako team is to be armed and ready at 09:45. Dismissed."

Holy shit. I can't believe that Virmire is almost here. It really doesn't feel like I've been here that long. Maybe a month. God damn…

Anywho, Ash and I are the last to leave the briefing. Unfortunately, that means that we miss the elevator down. Finally the elevator comes back up and we get in, the lift's only occupants. I lean against the back wall and apropos of nothing, Ash leans against me. I just smile and wrap my arms around her. We stand in contented silence for a while before I decide to speak up.

"This sounds like one crazy mission."

"Yeah. I think we're gonna need a lot of luck."

**A/N: Like the title implied, this was a fluffy filler chapter. Next up, we hit the meat of the story: Virmire. I'm expecting at least three chapters of that mission, maybe four. Let me tell ya, I've been waiting a long time for this mission. So much possibility. I think you guys and girls are gonna enjoy it. I'll try not to keep you readers waiting too long.**

**Anywho, I suppose that's it for now, folks. Until next time, ta ta!**


	25. Into the Fray

**A/N: Welcome back, my readers! Well, it's finally here: Virmire. The second most important mission in all of Mass Effect. Also, the quote below is from the movie _The Grey_, which I cannot recommend highly enough. Seriously, see it right now. This quote seems to fit rather nicely for Virmire. Anywho, enjoy the chapter!**

_Once again into the fray…_

_Into the last good fight I'll ever know…_

_I will live and die this day…_

_I will live and die this day…_

~John Ottway, _The Grey_

**Into the Fray**

Wow. What a night. I can't believe it's tomorrow already…well, technically it's _today_, but you know what I mean. I also can't believe we're about an hour from Virmire. So I basically have enough time to eat and get ready. Deciding not to waste any time, I get out of bed, trying not to wake up Ian and Garrus. They're not part of the Mako team, so they get to sleep in…lucky bastards.

I kid, I kid. I harbor no ill will against them. In fact, I'm glad I'm on the Mako team. That probably means I'll be on the infiltration team once we hit the facility.

Strangely, it looks like Kaidan's actually awake. Though he's military, so he's probably used to waking up early. Whatever floats his boat, I suppose. Not dwelling on it any further, I exit the room, heading up to grab some breakfast.

Entering the mess hall, I'm surprised to see that Kaidan is its only occupant.

"Hey, Kaidan," I say, walking over to grab an omelet.

"Morning, kid," he replies, looking up from his own breakfast. After my food is safely in hand, I go sit down across the table from him.

"So what are you doing up so early?" I ask him. "You're not part of the Mako team."

"I've always been an early riser," he tells me. "Boot camp only hammered that in further." I just nod my head in acknowledgement and concentrate on my food. It's not that I don't want to talk to Kaidan; it's just that I'm not very talkative when I'm hungry. I manage to get about a quarter of my omelet done before Kaidan breaks the silence.

"So how are things with Ash going, kid?"

"They're going well," I say, looking up from my food. "These past two weeks have been great."

"Glad to hear it," he says with a grin. "Everyone deserves a chance at happiness." Hmm…that reminds me of something. Now what was it?

…

Right. Wrex mentioned that Kaidan was sweet on somebody. I think it's time to turn the tables.

"You're right, Kaidan," I say nonchalantly. "So how 'bout you? Got any happiness waiting somewhere for you?" He seems hesitant to answer at first. After a brief silence, he decides to talk.

"You've been honest with me so far, kid. Least I can do is return the favor. I met a girl on my last leave. We hit it off, and we've stayed in contact. When this whole Saren business is over, I'm hoping to see her again."

"Sounds like you like this girl a good bit," I comment. "What's her name?"

"Her name's Kassandra, and…I guess I'm not really sure. I mean, we had a fun time together, and she's a great girl, but I don't know how far it can go with me in the service. Even if I wanted to have something more—which I might—I could only see her once every few months while I'm on leave. I don't think that's fair to her."

Once again, I'm reminded how real these former characters are. I mean, here's Kaidan, telling me something that never even gets a mention in the game. He's transcended the character that he was, and I can honestly say, without shame, that I consider him a friend. And that makes Virmire even more difficult. If he was the same character that was in the game, I would only have to worry about Ash. But he's not the same character. Hell, I'd almost go as far as to say he's my best friend on this ship. (Probably tied with Ian.) How the hell can someone make a life-or-death choice between his girlfriend and his best friend?

And now I learn that he probably has someone to go home to. He has a life beyond this ship, this mission. One that I never would have guessed. He has hopes, dreams, expectations of how his life will turn out…and that can all change today.

…

Fucking hell. As if my resolve needed strengthening. Now I'm fighting to give Kaidan a future, too.

I realize that I've been silent for a while, lost in contemplation. Kaidan's probably wondering what the hell I'm doing. Guess I should speak up.

"I think once this is all done, you should try to make it work," I tell him. "Like you told me, everyone deserves a chance at happiness." And we should all try to have some before time runs out. Because if Virmire is teaching me anything, it's that you never know how long you have.

"Thanks, Dylan." Wow, he actually used my name. "I think I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, Kaidan," I say, smiling.

And now, as if on cue (and due to narrative causality), Jenny and Ash walk into the mess hall. We exchange greetings as the girls get their food and take their seats. Ash sits next to me and gives me a surprise kiss on the cheek, echoing that moment in the elevator a few weeks ago before our date. I'm surprised by the suddenness of it and the fact that she's so open about it. Jenny, who took a seat next to Kaidan, just gives a small smile and doesn't comment. I guess that's one more person who knows about us. Though you know what? I don't care anymore. Let people know. We have too little time to worry about what people think.

I smile, too, and give Ash a quick one-armed hug before going back to my food.

The rest of breakfast is a pleasant affair. Liara also shows up after a while and the entire mess hall is filled with conversation among friends. Unfortunately, it comes to a much too sudden end. With fifteen minutes left before we drop in, Jenny, Ash, Liara, and I head down to the cargo deck to suit up.

* * *

The cargo door opens, and I'm met with the sight of a beautiful garden world through the turret's sights. That's right, I somehow got put on the turret. Liara is sitting up front to navigate and help with any tech stuff, and Ash and Wrex are stuck in the back with nothing to do. Poor them.

Joker swoops the Normandy in low and releases the Mako's clamps. Jenny throws the vehicle into reverse and slides right out of the cargo bay. Our wonderful pilot was actually flying low enough where Jenny didn't need to turn the thrusters on to slow our fall. Once again, I'm reminded how lucky we are to have Joker as our pilot.

We come to a stop in the shallow river bed, the Normandy already a speck in the sky.

"Got a clean drop, Commander," Joker says over the radio.

"Great job, Joker," Jenny says. "Now keep the Normandy safe while we deal with those AA towers."

"Yeah, yeah. I know the drill. Radio in once those towers are offline. Joker out."

Here we go, into the fray.

Jenny stomps on the accelerator, shooting us forward down the river bed. The beautiful landscape passes by my sights. I've got nothing on the radar, but I'm still wary, constantly turning the turret, never looking at the same area for too long. Here and there I see one of those weird crab-looking things.

"What are those things?" I ask for the simple purpose of starting a conversation.

"They appear to be some sort of native creature," Liara answers. "I have never encountered such species on any other planet."

"They look harmless," Jenny adds. "I'd say you can ignore them."

"Got it," I say, going back to scanning the area. We twist and turn our way down the river bed, making pretty good time. From the looks of the map, we're about half way to the first checkpoint. We round yet another corner when…

Is that…

"Geth drones!" Jenny warns. Yep, those sure are drones right in front of us. How the hell did the radar miss them? Whatever, doesn't matter. I just need to kill those things.

I take aim at the nearest drone, lining the thing up in my reticule. Let me say this right now: I'm really freaking glad that this turret has gyroscopic stabilization. In layman's terms, it means that no matter how crazily Jenny drives, my sights keep the same orientation. That makes this whole aiming while moving business much easier.

Anywho, I finally get the damn thing lined up and pull the trigger to the main gun. In an instant, the drone explodes.

Wow, there was actually surprisingly little recoil with that. While I'm waiting for the main gun to cool down, I start shooting at the other drone with the machine gun. The damn thing is wildly inaccurate, but it pumps out so many rounds that it really doesn't matter. The drone is nothing but scrap in a matter of seconds.

Wow, this turret kicks ass! I wish I could have used this more often. With those two drones out of the way, Jenny continues on down the trail. The next fifteen minutes or so are spent pretty much the same way. See drones, kill, move on, repeat. To tell the truth, it's gotten pretty boring. At least it looks like we're almost at the first checkpoint. Hopefully that'll spice things up a bit.

We turn one last corner to be confronted by a long straightaway leading up to the gate. The gate is closed, of course, which means we'll be getting out to open it. But first, I need to take care of the geth troops outside.

Jenny guns it, charging us straight at the geth line. Before she even started, I began sending cannon and machine gun rounds downrange. It really is amazing how much this turret kicks ass! We're about half way to the gate, and I've already killed three quarters of the geth outside. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised that there aren't any armatures or colossi. Not that I'm complaining. I'm perfectly alright being able to kill the geth with one shot of the main gun or a short burst of the machine gun.

By the time we reach the ramp leading up to the top of the gate, all the geth I can see are dead. However, I still see some on the radar. Looks like we're doing this on foot. Jenny parks the Mako and gives the order to hop out.

Once we're all out, Wrex and Ash—being the resident tanks—take point. Liara stands behind and between them, and Jenny and I flank Liara, forming a sort of triangle without a point. There aren't any geth in sight, so we head up the ramp to the walkway that sits above the gate.

Lo and behold, as soon as we get out of sight of the Mako, two geth troopers are waiting for us. Against the five of us? They last about, oh, seven seconds. Jenny and I overload the same geth by coincidence, causing it to explode, and Wrex and Ash each pump a shotgun round into the other one.

Moving on, we come to a sort of tunnel into the adjacent rock formation. According to the radar, there are three geth inside the room at the end. Cautiously, we approach the tunnel. It's about fifty feet long and offers no cover whatsoever. Once inside, we start to run, knowing that we're in trouble if we get caught in here. For whatever reason, the three geth at the end of the tunnel don't start shooting at us.

Ash and Wrex storm into the control room and immediately start unloading their shotguns into two of the geth. Liara enters next and lifts the third geth up into the air, making it an easy target for Jenny and me.

With that taken care of, Jenny wordlessly flips the single switch on the wall. Behind us, we hear the sound of the gates opening.

Back in the Mako, everyone takes their previous place, which means I'm back on my beloved turret. I lean back, expecting a repeat of the previous section of trail: endlessly repeating boring encounters with drones.

I'm sadly disappointed. Right after the first turn, there's a whole squad of about 10 geth on the trail. Well this is different. Luckily, they're just regular troopers with an occasional shock trooper: nothing that can do any real damage to the Mako. Unfortunately, they're all spaced out, meaning I can't get multi-kills with one cannon round. Guess I'm doing this the hard way.

There's absolutely no rhyme or reason to my shooting. I pretty much let loose with the machine gun till it overheats then let off a shot from the main cannon. Rinse and repeat. Though I gotta say, even with the gyroscopic mount for this turret, all of Jenny's evasive maneuvers are making it somewhat difficult to aim.

"Think you could go five seconds without messing up my aim?" I yell down to her after a particularly sharp turn caused me to miss my shot with the main gun.

"I'm trying to keep you alive long enough _to_ aim!" she yells back at me. There's not really much I can say in response to that, so I just grit my teeth deal with it.

Finally, after a grueling five minutes spent trying to kill ten geth, we finally drive away victorious.

Unfortunately, this trend continues. It seems like after every bend there are more and more geth per group. As if that wasn't enough, they start getting rocket troopers, juggernauts, and destroyers. Now that the geth can actually do some damage to the Mako, Jenny becomes even more erratic with her driving. I can't really complain since we're hit maybe once with every ten rockets shot at us. Still, it just means that each successive group of geth has more time to prepare for us.

On the last straightaway before the next checkpoint, there are fewer geth than before. Too bad they're all primes. Looks like five of them. Fuck. These bastards are tough enough to take two direct hits from the Mako's main cannon. They also have uber-rocket launchers. Oh this is gonna suck.

"You ready for this, Dylan?" Jenny calls up at me.

"Whenever you are," I tell her.

"Then here we go."

She floors it.

As we hurdle towards the geth at speeds that would make a NASCAR driver hang his head in shame, I unload with everything this turret has. Cannon shots are immediately followed up by barrages of machine gun fire. Believe it or not, a cannon shot plus enough rounds to overheat the machine gun actually kills a geth prime.

That is if all the machine gun rounds hit. And due to Jenny's necessarily crazy driving, less than half of the rounds _actually_ hit. As it stands now, I might as well just ignore the machine gun.

Also, as much as I might hate what Jenny's driving does to my aim, I also know it's the only thing keeping us alive. We've nearly taken a few hits that would have been _bad_.

Finally, after five minutes of near misses, I finally deliver the death blow to the final prime. Good fucking riddance.

We round the corner at the end of the straightaway to see the second checkpoint waiting for us. This is also the one with the AA gun. We go through pretty much the same process as the last gate: I kill every geth I can see with the turret then we get out and finish the rest of foot. Just as before, there are a few geth in the control room, but nowhere near enough to pose a serious threat to us. This checkpoint is cleared in a matter minutes.

Inside the control room, there's an added console: one for the AA gun. Jenny fiddles with the terminal for a minute before backing away.

"I'm reading that the grid is down, Commander," Joker says over the radio. "Making my approach to the salarian camp."

"Copy that, Joker," Jenny says. "See you there." She clicks her radio off and walks over to the gate controls, flipping the switch to open the gate. One more checkpoint to go.

The Mako speeds through the recently opened gate. According to the map, the final gatehouse is about half the distance that this one was. Personally, I'm happy about that. The turret is starting to lose its luster.

Surprisingly, the first few twists and turns contain no geth. Maybe they gave up…

Ha, fat chance. But seriously, I'm not complaining about the lack of geth. I'm perfectly content to just sit back and enjoy the rest of the drive.

Alas, 'tis not meant to be. For as we round the latest corner, we see two colossi.

Yeah, you read that right. Two. Not one, two. Both colossi.

Fuck me.

Echoing my thoughts, I hear a groan come from the driver's seat.

"Time to bring your A-game, Dylan," Jenny tells me.

"Gee, thanks for the warning." Whatever response she has for me is drowned out by the report of the main gun. I decide to focus on the right colossus first. I don't hold anything back, keeping my finger glued to the machine gun trigger whenever the main cannon cools down.

Holy fuck this thing can take a lot of punishment! I've probably hit that synthetic bastard with five shots of the cannon. Meanwhile, Jenny's doing a wonderful job of dodging the giant siege pulses from both colossi.

Finally, I kill the first bastard with the seventh cannon shot. So now I know what it takes. I turn my attention when the entire Mako suddenly shakes.

"What the hell happened?" I yell down to Jenny.

"We took a hit," she yells back. "The shields are still up…barely. Take that thing out as fast as you can."

"Doing my best."

The recoil of the main gun travels through my body for the umpteen-millionth time today. The final duel has begun. I lay into it with everything I have, and the colossus returns the favor. To her credit, Jenny does a great job dodging the siege pulses. Unfortunately, the giant geth has a machine gun of its own, and it's using that to slowly whittle away the Mako's shields.

After six shots from the main gun, I only need one more. It's cooling down after the sixth shot, so I start firing the machine gun. The colossus also starts to charge its siege pulse. Oh no, I don't want that thing to fire again.

C'mon, c'mon cool down you fucking cannon! The geth's about to fire! I get the beep telling me the cannon's good to go. My finger tightens on the trigger.

The geth fires.

I fire.

The geth falls.

The Mako shudders.

"Shit, that last pulse made contact!" Jenny yells. Wow, Jenny almost never swears. That's not good. "Shields are gone, hull integrity has been compromised. The capacitor is fried, meaning we're not getting our shields back any time soon. We can continue on, but we're especially vulnerable right now. Dylan, first priority is rocket troopers. If even one of those hit, we need to bail."

"Roger that," I say. The pressure's on now, I guess. Really can't fail now.

* * *

The Mako limps into the salarian camp after a tough final fight. I somehow managed to take out the geth rocket troopers before they did any damage to the Mako. After that, it was the same process of clearing the checkpoint and opening the gates.

Joker's already warned us of the little surprise waiting for us. I can only imagine Jenny's reaction to this. Hopefully she can reign in her desire for headshots.

Anywho, she parks the Mako in the shallow water next to the camp. We hop out and walk across the admittedly beautiful beach to where Kaidan is standing in front of a green salarian in white armor. He's got black eyes and seems slightly buffer than an average salarian. So this is what Kirrahe looks like in person.

"So what are we supposed to do now?" Kaidan asks as we walk up.

"Stay put until we can come up with a plan," Kirrahe replies.

"Are you in charge here?" Jenny asks. "I need a sitrep."

"I'm Captain Kirrahe, Third Infiltration Regiment, STG," the salarian in question replies. "You and your crew have just landed in the middle of a hotzone. Every AA gun within ten miles has been alerted to your presence."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Jenny asks, sounding slightly exasperated at the news.

"We stay put until the Council sends the reinforcements we requested." The four of us (Jenny, Kaidan, Ash, and I) share a look. This is awkward. Kaidan's the one to break the news to the poor guy.

"We are the reinforcements."

"What? You're all they sent?" he asks, voice full of disbelief. "I told the Council to send a fleet."

"You're message was garbled beyond comprehension," Jenny tells the captain. "They sent us to investigate."

"That is a repetition of our task," Kirrahe says, sharply."I lost half my men _investigating_ this place."

"So what did you find that warrants a Council fleet?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Saren's base of operations." I hear a sharp inhale from Jenny, Ash, and Kaidan. "He's set up a research facility here, but it's crawling with geth and very well fortified."

"Is Saren here?" Jenny asks. "Have you seen him?"

"No, but his geth are everywhere, and we've intercepted some comms referring to him. This is his facility, there's no doubt about that."

"So what's Saren researching here?"

"He's using the facility to breed an army of krogan," Kirrahe says.

"How is that possible?" Wrex rumbles, walking up from where he was standing before.

"Apparently, Saren has found a cure to the genophage."

"The geth are bad enough," Jenny says. "But an army of krogan…he'd be almost unstoppable."

"Exactly my thoughts. We must ensure that this facility and its secrets are destroyed."

"Destroyed? I don't think so," Wrex says. "My people are dying. This cure can save them."

"If that cure leaves this planet, the krogan will become unstoppable," Kirrahe says, seemingly ignorant of the fact that a krogan is standing right in front of him. "We can't make that same mistake again."

A low growl escapes Wrex. He quickly crosses the distance between himself and Kirrahe. I'll give the salarian credit: he only takes a single step back. "We are _not_ a mistake," Wrex states, pointing an accusing finger at Kirrahe. He gives the STG agent one final glower before stalking off.

"Is he going to be a problem?" Kirrahe asks once Wrex is out of earshot. "We already have enough angry krogan to deal with."

"Don't worry about him. I'll talk to him," Jenny tells the captain.

"I would appreciate that, Commander. Now, my men and I need to rethink our plan of attack. Can you give us some time?"

"Of course, Captain. We'll talk again soon."

"We won't be long, Commander. I suggest you take whatever time you can to relax." And with that, he walks off, presumably to assemble his lieutenants. Jenny turns around to face Kaidan, Ash, and me, forming a little circle.

"Looks like we're in a bit of a mess," Kaidan says.

"That might just be the understatement of the year," I mutter. The three of them give me a look, which I return with a grin.

"I wouldn't be so worried if it wasn't for Wrex," Ash says, ignoring my comment. "He looks like he's going to blow a gasket."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him," Jenny says.

"Just be careful, Jenny," I tell her, giving a weak smile. "Would be a shame to lose you to an ally."

"Your concern has been noted," she replies, dryly. "Now you guys take Kirrahe's advice and relax while you can. That's an order." I give a playful salute while Ash and Kaidan spout off a "Yes ma'am."

Ash and I look at each other and walk off to the water's edge together. I sit down on the sand with my boots in the crystal clear water. Ash sits down next to me and rests her head on my shoulder. I place my arm around her waist and lay rest my head on hers in the classic pose.

We don't say anything. We don't need to. Both of us understand too well how dangerous this mission is. I also know too well that this could be our last personal time together. So we sit on the beach, taking comfort in the other's presence, and admire the beauty of the near-tropical vista in front of us. It's a moment that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

A final peaceful moment before we head once again into the fray.

**A/N: So there ya go. The Mako section of Virmire is over. This chapter was very much an action sandwich: Dialogue at the beginning and end, and a whole bunch of action in the middle. But hey, it's Virmire. What can ya do?**

**Anywho, next chapter is gonna start the infiltration. Not sure how far I'll get. Either way, until then, ta ta!**


	26. Start the Fight

**A/N: So I had a lot of people worrying that I had skipped Wrex's scene at the end of last chapter. Silly people. I could never skip that part! Wrex is too awesome to skim over. So yeah, put your worries to rest. We're also gonna see some last minute interactions. Beyond that, here's the chapter. Enjoy!**

**Start the Fight**

My last peaceful moment for a while ends suddenly as the sound of a shotgun blast resounds through the basin. What the hell was that?

…

Wrex.

Fuck!

Without waiting for another sound, I scramble to my feet with Ash right behind me. She obviously heard the shot, too, so we both start running towards the end of the beach. How the hell could I be so stupid? I just let Jenny confront Wrex alone. Though now that I think about it, she should have been able to talk him down. I mean, we went to all the trouble of getting his family armor back. That's usually enough to keep him from going berserk.

More shots echo across the beach. Damn, he really walked far away; I think he's on the other side of the far building. I round the corner of the building to see…

Well that's interesting.

It doesn't look like Jenny has approached him yet. He's just standing at the water's edge, shooting into the water while Jenny stands back and watches. I come to a stop next to Jenny, and Ash stops right next to me.

"What's going on?" I ask Jenny after we've been standing there for a while.

"I'm letting him work out some frustration," she says, calmly. "I figured it would be dangerous to talk to him right away, so I'm letting him cool down." Huh…that's actually a good idea.

"Probably a good idea, Skipper," Ash says, echoing my thoughts. "I don't think any sane person would confront Wrex right now."

"Which is why I'm waiting," Jenny says. "Oh, incidentally, would you two mind sticking around? When I finally get around to talking to him, I want some back up." I grin at that huge understatement; a grin that she easily matches.

Wrex just keeps shooting away, and after a while, Ian and Garrus come running up, too. They pull the same thing Ash and I did: stopping dead in their tracks when they see the rest of us just standing here.

"So, uh…what the hell's going on here?" Ian asks in the same tone of voice I had a few minutes ago.

"I'm letting Wrex calm down before talking to him," Jenny says.

"Oh. Well I'm glad no one's dying."

"I'm just glad we didn't have to break up a fight," Garrus says. "We did that enough at C-Sec."

"So nice to see you care, Garrus," Jenny deadpans. It doesn't last long, though; a smile breaks through the façade rather quickly.

After a few more minutes, the frequency of shotgun shots slows down. Wrex starts to just stare at the water for long periods, occasionally firing a random shot off. After letting this go on for a while, Jenny finally decides to go talk to him.

"This isn't right, Shepard," the krogan merc says as Jenny walks up to him. "If there's a cure for the genophage, we can't destroy it."

"I understand your feeling for this, Wrex," Jenny says in a calm voice, stopping a few feet away from Wrex. "But you need to look at the bigger picture. Saren is the enemy here, and we need to stop him."

"Really? Saren created a cure for my people. You want to destroy it. Help me out here, Shepard. The lines between friend and foe are getting a little blurry from where I stand."

"Wrex, you of all people should know that Saren isn't doing this for the krogan. He's doing it for himself. Even if he does succeed, none of us will be around to reap the benefits."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take," he says sharply, taking a few steps closer to Jenny. "This is the fate of my entire people we're talking about!" He stops right in front of her, his face dangerously close to hers. To Jenny's credit, she doesn't move an inch. "I've been loyal to you so far. Hell, you did more for me than my family ever did. But if I'm going to keep following you, I need to know it's for the right reasons." He takes a step back, pulling his shotgun out and aiming it at Jenny.

Immediately, Ash, Ian, Garrus, and I all have our weapons out and trained on the krogan. As much as I love Wrex, I won't hesitate to put him down if he hurts Jenny. I'm also still confident in her negotiating skills, but I want to be ready just in case.

Jenny stays stock still, keeping Wrex's eyes locked with hers. She doesn't even make a move for a weapon of her own. That right there takes more courage than I can ever hope to have.

"Wrex, do you remember that job you did for Saren?" Jenny says in the same calm voice she started with. "You told me that everyone else on that mission died within a few weeks. Saren doesn't care about his hirelings. What makes you think he would treat the krogan any differently? If this cure survives, the only future the krogan will have is one of servitude. Is that what you want for them?"

A long pause follows Jenny's words. Wrex keeps his shotgun aimed right at her chest, and she stays perfectly still with a look of undefeatable calmness. C'mon, Wrex, make the right choice. Please, please don't do something that we'll all regret.

The silence hangs in the air for a full thirty seconds before Wrex speaks up.

"No." YES! "We were tools of the Council once. To thank us for wiping out the rachni, they neutered us all. I doubt Saren's servitude would be as generous." He pauses again, giving Jenny one last critical look. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he puts the shotgun away. The four of us along the sidelines let out a collective sigh of relief and put away our own weapons. I'm not sure words can describe how relieved I am right now. I honestly thought for a second that we would have to kill Wrex. Thank god I was wrong.

"All right, Shepard. You've made your point. I don't like this, but I trust you enough to follow your lead. Just one thing: When we find Saren, I want his head."

"He's all yours, Wrex," Jenny says, visibly relaxing. "I'm glad we could end this peacefully." Wrex just grunts and turns back towards the water. At least he's not shooting it this time. With her job out of the way, Jenny walks back over to where we're standing.

"Well that went better than I could have hoped," she says, coming to a stop in front of us.

"For starters, you're not dead," I say. I dodge a punch to the shoulder from Ash, smiling the whole time.

"And neither is Wrex," Ian adds.

"Like I said, better than expected." We all share a laugh at that. Before anyone can say anything else, Kaidan comes up to us.

"Shepard, Kirrahe said he wanted to see you. I think he's got a plan."

"Thanks, Kaidan. I guess we should go see what he has to say," she says. The rest of us nod in agreement, and we all head over to Kirrahe's tent/building thing. Along the way, a few of the salarians comment on the fact that Jenny managed to talk down Wrex. Oh ye of little faith. I never doubted Jenny for a second.

Well…there was that half second before Wrex backed down, but that was only half a second, not a whole second, so my original statement holds true.

Anywho, the five of us walk up to Kirrahe, ready to hear his master plan.

"Thank you for speaking with the krogan," the captain says. "The assault on Saren's base will be difficult enough as it is."

"I'm guessing you have a plan, then," Jenny says.

"Of sorts," Kirrahe says hesitantly. "We can convert our ship's drive system into a 20 kiloton ordinance. Crude, but effective."

"Nice," Ash says, next to me. "Drop that nuke from orbit, and Saren can kiss his turian ass goodbye."

"I'm sorry to ruin your fantasy, but the facility is too well fortified for that. We'll need to place the bomb in a precise location."

"So where do we put it, and how do we get it there?" Jenny asks. I'm kinda glad she's not beating around the bush with this. The sooner this mission ends, the better.

"The bomb must be taken to the far side of the facility," he explains. "Your ship can drop it off, but we'll need to infiltrate the base, disable the AA guns, and pacify any ground forces first."

"We don't have enough men to assault this base on foot," Kaidan says incredulously.

"Are you sure there's no other way?" Jenny asks the salarian.

"No, but I think we can work around that," he says. "I'm going to divide my men into three teams and hit the front of the facility. While we've got their attention, you can sneak your 'shadow' team in the back."

"You'll all get slaughtered!" Jenny says, sounding shocked at Kirrahe's suggestion.

"We're tougher than we look, Commander, but it's true. I don't expect many of us to make it out alive." He pauses for a moment. "And that makes what I'm about to ask even more difficult." Oh fuck, this is the part I've been dreading. "I need one of your men to accompany me. To help coordinate the teams."

"It would make things easier if you had someone who knew Alliance communication protocols," Jenny says slowly. Is she really going along with this so easily? I thought she'd be against putting one of her team in danger.

"I volunteer, Commander," Kaidan says.

"Not so fast, LT," Ash says hotly. "Shepard's gonna need you to arm the nuke. I'll go with the salarians."

"With all due respect, Gunnery Chief, it's not really your place to decide." Uh oh, that wasn't the best thing to say to her right now, Kaidan. Be prepared to face snarkyness.

"Why is it that whenever someone says 'with all due respect' they really mean 'kiss my ass'?"

"I can go, too," I say. Wait, what? What the hell prompted me to say that? I can't do that. It would ruin everything!

"Dylan, you don't know Alliance comm. protocol," Jenny says. "So you're not an option." I'm actually quite relieved at that. I couldn't handle leading an attack, even with all the military history I read. That stuff doesn't mean shit in a combat situation. Oh look, more talking.

"Ash, I'm sending you with the salarians. Stay safe, get the job done, and get out." Please, whatever god may or may not be out there, let Ash be safe. You have my word that I'll do everything I possibly can to save her, but any help would be welcome. So yeah, if you're out there listening, I wouldn't mind some help.

"Aye aye, Commander."

"I'll have the ordinance loaded onto the Normandy and brief your crew on its detonation sequencing," Kirrahe says. "Do you have any more questions, Commander?"

"We're ready, Captain."

"Excellent. Then if you'll excuse me, I need to prepare my men." The salarian captain walks away, heading towards his troops. After he leaves, Jenny turns around, and we're in a similar formation as the last time Kirrahe walked away: her, Kaidan, Ash, and I in a circle. Ian and Garrus walked off somewhere…not really sure where.

"Well…this is it," Ash says. "None of you do anything stupid while I'm gone." Suddenly she looks at me. "Especially you, Dylan. I don't want to have to sit next to your bed in the med bay when this is all over because you were too stupid to duck."

"C'mon, Ash, I haven't been to the med bay since Feros," I say with a grin. "And if I'm not mistaken, I wasn't the only one in there."

"Doesn't mean you still don't have it in you," she says, returning my smile. Even after two weeks in a relationship, she still loves to get those little quips at me in…and I love it. "But seriously, be careful."

"I'll make sure he stays out of trouble, Ash," Jenny says. "I think Kirrahe's about to finish up, so we should get ready." With that, we all walk over to where Kirrahe is standing in front of his men…er, salarians…whatever.

"Our influence will stop Saren, but in the battle today, we will _hold the line_!"

Damn, we missed most of the speech. I actually thought it was a good speech: inspiring, but realistic. I always did like Kirrahe. With his speech done, his men part, and he turns around.

"Good luck, Commander. I hope we will meet again."

"Good luck to you, too, Kirrahe. Godspeed." They salute each other, and the salarian captain walks towards where his troops are gathering. Ash moves to follow him.

On an impulse, I grab her arm, turning her around to face me. I close the distance between us and plant my lips firmly on hers. It's a deep, passionate kiss, unlike our previous ones.

Finally, I break off, pulling back to look her in the eyes.

"That's as much luck as I can give," I say. "Stay safe."

"You too." She pauses, a look of indecision crossing her face. "I…I…"

"Chief Williams, we need to get moving," Kirrahe calls. Ash sighs.

"I'll tell you when this is all over. So you better stay alive." And with that, she walks off.

Once more into the fray.

* * *

My feet impact the ground on the other side of the wall. We just crossed into Saren's backyard, so the fight is about to begin. I walk up behind Jenny, who has stopped at the edge of a shallow pool. Garrus, Ian, and Wrex walk up next to me. I was actually a little surprised that Jenny chose Wrex for the shadow team…though now that I think about it, it makes sense. Wrex is in full rage mode against Saren, so why not use that anger to our advantage?

Garrus and Ian are the other logical choices. Besides Jenny, they're the closest things to infiltrators on the squad. Besides, Tali and Kaidan had to help get the bomb ready, and I don't think Liara is cut out for this kind of mission.

"Comm. check. Do you read me, Commander?" Kirrahe asks over the radio, interrupting my internal monologue.

"Loud and clear, Captain," Jenny says.

"Good. We'll start our push. We'll try to make it to the AA guns, but it might be up to you to finish the job. And Commander? If you see any way to undermine their defenses, we could always use the help."

"We'll see what we can do. Over and out." Looking back at us, Jenny nods and starts moving out.

We're in a sort of canyon with a shallow river winding through it. We slowly advance through the canyon, keeping an eye out for any geth along the rock walls. About thirty feet ahead, there's a bend in the trail, so we stop right before rounding the corner. Jenny peeks around and takes a look, pulling back a few seconds later.

"It looks like a geth outpost, about fifty feet from the bend," she says, letting her voice drop to a whisper.

"So how do you want to do this?" Garrus asks.

"I'm thinking that you, Ian, and I stay back with our sniper rifles," she says. Oh no, I can see where this is going. "We'll provide sniper support while Wrex and Dylan assault the outpost."

"Wonderful," I mutter. "You mind spilling any details about this outpost before we go running in?"

"It's basically a raised platform. Not really much to explain. Just get up there and destroy any geth you see."

"Now those are orders I can get used to," Wrex rumbles. Well, at least one of us is excited. I think Jenny always forgets that I only have light armor. Standard issue light armor at that, so this stuff kinda sucks ass. If she's gonna keep using me like a tank, I should at least get some medium armor…assuming I'm strong enough to even wear that stuff. Though I suppose I'm a lot stronger than I was when I first got here. It's amazing what two weeks of non-stop missions and sparring can do.

So what was I talking about? Oh yeah, the geth base thing. So I guess Wrex and I are attacking that. Hmm…it reminds me of Therum. Whatever.

"Give us thirty seconds to set up," Jenny says. "After that, head on in. Feel free to make some noise; it'll give us some shots."

"Can do," I say. Wrex just grunts his agreement. With a nod from Jenny, she, Garrus, and Ian stealthily head out, finding their own spot to set up. At least I know that I have three amazing snipers to back me up.

Thirty seconds later, give or take, Wrex and I round the corner to start our two man assault on the geth base. The approach to the outpost is actually surprisingly open. What the hell? Don't these geth know that we're about to assault them? Where are all the nice pieces of cover left in the open for our convenience? This isn't to say that there's _no_ cover; there's just very little.

Wrex and I make it about half way before the geth spot us. And you know that when one of them finally does spot us, all of them know we're here. It's really annoying to fight enemies that communicate at the speed of light.

The first one that spots us doesn't last long, though. Before it could even fire off a shot, the metal bastard took three sniper rounds to the head. Wow, that was impressive. The fact that all three shots hit the head at about the same time was a frightening testament to their skill.

Of course, once the first one dies, its buddies all start to show up. They line the low wall at the edge of the platform and just start popping in and out of cover randomly. I'm guessing that makes it harder to snipe them out. Wrex and I keep advancing, occasionally firing at a geth that stays above the wall for too long. Even if Jenny and the others never hit another geth, they're doing an awesome job at keeping their heads down.

Wrex and I finally make it to the ramp leading up to the platform. We come up behind the geth hiding behind the wall to see ten of them there. Yeah, that's right. Ten.

Fucking hell.

Without waiting for them to respond (which doesn't leave me much time) I open up my omni-tool and send an overload to a random geth. Not pausing to see the results of that, I start unloading my Mattock into the crowd of geth.

At the same time, Wrex charges straight in, shotgun in hand. And that's what I like about him: he's very straightforward no matter what he's doing.

Also at the same time, the geth have started to stand up to face us. Bad idea on their part. Now Jenny, Garrus, and Ian have clear shots at them.

Suddenly my Mattock starts to beep. Oh fuck, I let it overheat! And now of all times, when I'm standing right in front of seven armed geth! On an impulse, I grab my Carnifex from my hip and start shooting that with my left hand, keeping my Mattock in the right. I'm not dropping my baby.

Once again armed, I start pumping rounds out with the hand cannon. One of the shots hits a geth straight in the flashlight, blowing it clean off. Damn, this thing really is the .44 magnum! I keep shooting the pistol when an idea suddenly pops into my head.

I'm still holding my Mattock.

It's cooled down.

…

This is so gonna happen.

I raise the rifle and tuck it under my arm for support, and I keep the pistol as steady as I can in my left hand.

Let the badassery commence.

I slowly advance, weapon firing in each hand, unloading a pure torrent of high velocity bullets. My first target gets turned into scrap in under four seconds, so I refocus my attention to its buddy. It suffers the same fate. In fact, this is such an amazing killing combination that I start stealing kills from Wrex. I even manage to headshot everything! It's fucking awesome! I seriously cannot be stopped with this combo! I feel like a god! I wonder if there are any colossi around here that I can kill…

…

So yeah, everything in that last paragraph is a lie. Yes, I do start shooting both weapons at the same time. Yes, it looks awesome as hell. Yes, it probably killed one or two geth. But no, it wasn't the most lethal thing I've ever seen. (That position is still held by Jenny, Ian, and Garrus' triple snipe when we saved Tali.) At most, all that accomplished was turning some attention away from Wrex, allowing him more time to fuck shit up like only he can.

After what seems like an eternity—but probably only a minute—the geth are all dead.

"Mannovai is under some heavy fire," Ash suddenly says over the radio. "The geth have some long range turrets that are raining hell. There has to be something helping them target us. See if you can take it out." If Jenny hadn't given us strict orders to maintain radio silence, I'd say something, but I can't. But that won't stop me from trying to help.

If I recall, the targeting…thing is here at this outpost. I look around the platform, trying to find whatever it is that I can mess up. Finally, I see a lone terminal at the base of a tall antenna. That's probably it. Walking over to it, my only hope is that I can figure out how to jam it. I start messing around with the console, trying to somehow shut it down or something. Wrex lumbers up behind me and watches my efforts.

Gah, why can't I figure this thing out? It's seriously pissing me off! I mean, I'll admit that I'm not the best with tech, but I've been getting better thanks to all those shifts in engineering. I've even shared a few shifts with Tali, and she's been really helping me learn how all the tech in this universe works. But I still can't figure out this damn terminal!

"Back up. Let me handle this." What? Since when was Wrex good with tech? Well, it's not like I'm doing a great job right now. Might as well see what he can do.

"Be my guest," I say, backing away from the offending console. Wrex just stands there for a second, looking at it. Slowly, deliberately, he draws his shotgun. Before I can say a word, the geth terminal is nothing but a smoking heap of scrap, and the echoes of his shotgun bounce around the canyon.

"What just happened?" Jenny asks, coming up the ramp. "What was that shot?"

"Wrex just became our new IT guy," I tell her, chuckling. "That targeting system Ash was complaining about won't be a problem." And as if on cue, Ash's voice comes over the radio again.

"The long range turrets have stopped. I guess shadow found the targeting station. We're advancing."

"Well good job," Jenny says, giving Wrex an appreciative nod. "Now let's move out. There's still plenty of ground to cover."

Everyone gives some kind of affirmative, and we continue on towards our objective.

And slowly we march towards our fate.

**A/N: Well there ya go, folks. The real mission has started. I'll admit, I didn't get as far as I originally expected. But hey, that just means more chapters! Or at least some longer ones in the future. Either or. Up next we're gonna see more of the infiltration and some of the base interior.**

**Anywho, I suppose that's it. I'm gonna try to get these next few chapters out as fast as possible, though don't expect iNf3ctioNZ-speed update rates. I'm not _that_ good. But until the next time, ta ta!**


	27. A Talk With Sovereign

**A/N: Well, here we are again. It's time for part two of the infiltration. I guess there's not really much else to say, so enjoy the chapter!**

**A Talk With Sovereign**

"Jaeto's getting pounded by sat strikes! There's must be some kind of uplink around the base. See if you can take it out."

Well…I guess we have our next objective. Geez, I forgot how much the salarians relied on us to save their asses. But whatever, I like 'em enough, so it's worth it to save them.

"You heard the man," Jenny says, looking at us. She opens up her omni-tool and projects a small map of the area, highlighting a point. "This is where we are. Further along the valley, there's another outpost at a chokepoint. That's probably where the uplink is."

"Probably a safe bet," I say. Seeing as she's right, there's nothing else I can really say. Everyone else gives some sort of approval to the idea.

"Then let's move out," she says, walking down the ramp that Wrex and I just attacked up. We all fall in behind her: Wrex up front, and Garrus, Ian, and I behind a little.

"So I caught your little, ah, stunt up on the platform," Ian says after a while. I look over at him, and I'm pretty sure he has a giant grin under that helmet. "Did you really think you could dual wield a pistol and an assault rifle?"

"Hey, you know it looked badass!" I retort.

"Not saying it didn't, mate," he replies, smile evident in his voice. "Doesn't change the fact that you hit jack shit."

"I hit some geth!"

"Some, yeah. But it mostly just distracted them, so Wrex could kick their asses."

"And how do you know that wasn't my plan the whole time?" If helmets could look skeptical, Ian's sure as hell does. "We're done talking about this." The little bastard just laughs as I walk up next to Wrex.

After a surprisingly geth-less advance up the canyon, the outpost comes into view. We stop about 100 yards from the base to formulate a plan. After some deliberation, we decide to stick with the same plan as last time: Wrex and I advance while Jenny, Garrus, and Ian give sniper support.

Again, Wrex and I give the others thirty seconds to set up before we start our attack. We get all of ten yards before the geth spot us. Well, this is gonna be fun. The base is set up in pretty much the same way as the last one: a ramp leading up to a main platform. Said platform also has the same low wall going around the edge, giving the geth copious amounts of cover. At this range, and because of the randomness of the geth exiting cover, Wrex and I can't really do a whole lot. Right now, we're relying on our sniper support, which is pretty damn good.

We slowly advance towards the base, occasionally taking some fire, but we're actually pretty unhindered. I guess the geth don't want to lose any more units to the snipers. On one hand, that makes our approach easier. On the other, it means we're gonna have a lot more to kill when we finally get there.

About ten feet from the ramp, stuff kinda goes to shit. A geth destroyer appears at the top of the ramp. As much as a robot can look angry, it does. Oh fuck. I…seem to remember that my last encounter with a destroyer on foot almost didn't end well.

I immediately start firing my Mattock at the hulking robot, desperately trying to whittle away its shields. Wrex also starts unloading his Tornado shotgun into the now charging geth. The destroyer manages to get down the ramp before its shields die. That doesn't stop it, though; it keeps charging our position, getting closer with every passing second. After one last torrent of fire from Wrex and me, the robot dies, its momentum carrying it forward and making it land right at our feet.

Wow, that couldn't have ended in a more clichéd manner: the giant charging thing dying right at your feet. I mean, seriously, isn't this real life? It's like I'm in a fucking story here.

…

Anywho, with that out of the way, Wrex and I are free to move up the ramp. If you remember how the last base went, it's pretty much a repeat of that…excluding my dual wielding. Basically, we walk up the ramp and start shooting until there's nothing left. The geth that are up there make the same mistake as their buddies at the last base: they stood up and turned around. For being a race of sentient robots, they're capable of some real stupidity. I guess Terry Pratchett was right: "Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." I manage not to overheat my Mattock this time, meaning everything actually goes pretty well.

The whole assault takes about five minutes.

Now Wrex and I have to wait around for Jenny, Garrus, and Ian to regroup with us. Well, if we're just standing here, might as well try to find the uplink thing. Although…an idea just popped into my head. I look over at Wrex, who's lazily staring off into the distance.

"So Wrex, as our new IT guy, you think you can find and disable the satellite uplink?" I ask. He turns to look at me. After a few seconds, he grunts and starts to look around. He sweeps his gaze across this level and, seeing nothing, starts to look elsewhere. Finally, he decides to look up. Atta boy, Wrex. Upon lifting his gaze, he sees a rather conspicuous satellite dish sitting on a tower jutting up from the platform.

True to form, he draws his shotgun and blasts away the uplink device. The dish comes crashing down in a flurry of sparks, hitting the ground with a resounding _thump_. And of course, as soon as this happens, the others walk up the ramp.

"I take it Wrex took care of the salarians' problem?" Jenny asks once she reaches the top.

"If that thing wasn't the uplink device, I don't know what is," I tell her. And again, as if this was all scripted, Kirrahe's voice comes over the radio.

"It looks like those sat strikes have stopped. Looks like we're getting some help from shadow. Now if only those flyers could be taken out before they come back." Wow, nice subtle hint, Kirrahe. Sigh. I guess we're still running errands for them. Though they are providing us with a distraction, so I guess we kinda owe them.

Whatever, it's time to get back to work.

* * *

Well that was fun. We've _finally_ made it to the base proper after about a half hour of doing shit for the salarians. I was pretty sure that taking out the flyers was the last task they gave us, but they somehow found more shit for us to do. If it wasn't for the fact that Ash was with them, I'd be tempted to just say fuck it.

But I won't let Ash get hurt.

So now that we're finally in the actual base, we can get down to work. Right now, we're on a sort of walkway between the outer wall and the interior of the base. Actually, I think there's one more thing we can do to help the salarians. Right in front of the first door into the facility, there's a small terminal. Garrus walks up to the terminal and starts fiddling around with it.

"We've got access to base security," the turian finally says after a minute of messing with the console. "We should be able to cut the alarms from here. Might even be able to trigger alarms on the far side of the base. It'll clear the guards out for us, but they might be too much for the salarian teams to handle."

"Just cut the alarms," Jenny tells him. "The salarians have enough trouble as it is, and I'm sure we can take out any guards we find."

"Alright," he says, tapping a few more buttons. Then he steps back from the terminal, and we continue down to the far door.

The door opens to reveal what looks like a storage room: boxes and crates piled high to the ceiling at seemingly random places. Everywhere else is horrendously open and exposed.

The first thing we notice upon entering is a lone salarian in rags standing near the door, facing away from us. It doesn't look like he's noticed our entrance. Jenny, ever the paragon, calls out to him.

"Hello? What are you doing in here?"

In response, the salarian turns around, and we're met with a sight that's absolutely chilling.

There's no humanity (salarianity…and this is why I stick with humanity) in those eyes. I'm not sure how else to describe it. Those eyes are just…blank. Nothing. Whatever spark that made him who he was is gone. People say that the eyes are gateways to the soul; well these gateways open to a black hole.

With a groan, the salarian starts shambling towards us. Wrex wastes no time, quickly bringing his shotgun to bear. In a split second, Wrex puts the poor salarian out of his misery.

"What in the spirits' name was that thing?" Garrus asks in a shocked tone.

"He must have been part of Kirrahe's team," Jenny says, sounding just as shocked as Garrus.

"That thing wasn't salarian," I say quietly. "Whatever it might have been, it was more like the husks on Eden Prime. Mindless shells of a former being." I hear a sigh from Jenny.

"Those things are hostile, but be absolutely sure before you pull the trigger." We all give our affirmatives. Before anyone can say anything else, however, we hear the tell tale mechanical sputtering that signifies that geth are in the area Wonderful.

The ensuing firefight is absolutely identical to any other firefight with geth I've been in, so I won't bother detailing it.

_Dude, what the hell are you doing? That's not how it works._

What? Oh fine, I'll detail it a little bit.

About seven geth of various types round the corner into the large open area. Without waiting for any official orders, each of us starts shooting and looking for cover at the same time. Seeing as there isn't a whole lot of anything in here, that's harder than it sounds. After much fighting, we destroy all the geth.

And there was much rejoicing. Happy now?

_Yes._

Good. Now, let's move on.

With the geth taken care of, we make our way out of the warehouse thing. A few corridors twist and turn though the facility, leading us seemingly nowhere. Every once in a while, we encounter a few of the indoctrinated salarians, and we put them down without much fuss. As it is, we're almost doing them a favor. They're already dead inside, so we're just severing their last ties to this world. Maybe their spirits can rest easily now.

It sucks, but there's nothing I can do about it. Hell, there's nothing _any_ of us can do. But we can sure as hell make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else.

With newly strengthened resolve, I follow Jenny into the elevator we just came to. Said elevator opens up to a long, narrow room.

Oh, there's also a husk right in front of the door. That probably deserves a mention. Although…the husk is in some kind of…stasis field. At least that's what I think it is. There's just this blue light rotating around it, and the husk isn't moving at all. I don't care, though. This thing needs to die.

I raise my Mattock, quickly taking aim and firing. I put a double tap in its head just to be sure.

"What was that?" a deep voice suddenly asks from out of view. "Intruders in the lab! Kill them!" Well that doesn't sound good.

In a rush, the five of us exit the elevator to face the unseen threat. We're met with a long room filled with a shit-ton of lab equipment. Also a few more husks. And some asari. Oh, and a krogan. He looks angry. Can't forget about that.

Again, there's very little cover in this room, meaning this is more of a test to see who has the strongest shields. In an uncoordinated bout of teamwork, we all focus on taking out the husks first. It's not hard, per say, but there are quite a few of them. And the whole time we're shooting at them, the asari and krogan are shooting at us. It all makes for a wonderful time.

The husks go down quickly enough, meaning we can focus on the real threats. The asari start throwing some biotics at us, and seeing as Wrex is our only biotic, we're at a slight disadvantage there. Also, because of the limited cover, my shields are taking a pounding.

_Beep, beep, beep!_

Well fuck me, there go my shields. As if this situation could get any worse, I see one of the asari look at me and glow blue. Crap…

Crap, crap, crap, crapcrapcrap!

A rather large ball of dark energy flies straight into my chest, sending shockwaves of pure pain throughout my entire body. Every nerve feels like I dipped it into acid then tore it to shreds. I feel like I'm burning up and freezing to death at the same time. A slew of other physically contradicting sensations (all painful) wrack my body, making me fall to the ground and scream in pain. Holy shit fuck, this hurts. It seriously feels like my body is trying to eat itself or some other horrible shit like that.

Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the pain subsides, and I'm left panting on the floor with my eyes welded shut. Even with the sound of fighting still flowing around me, I can't be bothered to get up after that experience. I'm pretty sure that passing a kidney stone while getting kicked in the balls wouldn't feel that painful.

Eventually, the fighting dies down, finally ending all together. I stay on the ground, still panting. I hear footsteps approach me, and I open my eyes to see Jenny standing over me.

"That didn't look fun," she says with a small smirk.

"I wouldn't recommend it," I pant. That just makes her smile even wider as she extends an arm to help me up. I gladly accept it, and she pulls my sorry ass off the floor.

Everyone else looks fine after our little fight, but Jenny doesn't move on yet. Instead, she walks over to one of the terminals that the doctors were working at.

"What are you doing, Shepard?" Garrus asks, walking up behind her.

"I was hoping there would be some data on what they were doing here," she says, still tapping away. Wow…why hadn't I thought of that? It makes so much sense now that I think about it. I think I need to learn to not rely on the game so much. As I've seen time and time again, canon has been kinda beaten to hell lately.

"So have you found anything?" Wrex asks, suddenly taking an interest.

"No." Huh, she sounds frustrated. "There's nothing on this terminal at all. Just junk." Quickly, she walks to another terminal and starts to fiddle with it. The rest of us just stand around, waiting for her to finish. "Nothing on this one, either! Did they even take notes?"

"Maybe they wanted to prevent a situation just like this," I say. She just exhales loudly, giving the terminal an angry look before walking out the door.

The door leads us to a little walkway between buildings. Around the corner of the path, two geth are waiting by an upright drawbridge. Almost needless to say, two geth don't stand a chance against the five of us. With that little annoyance behind us, we open the door they were apparently guarding.

The room in front of us is actually very plain. Just a big empty square with a desk in one corner. Said desk also has an asari hiding under it. Upon hearing the door open, the asari gets back to her feet and faces us.

"Don't shoot!" she pleads. "Please, I just want to get out of here before it's too late."

"I'm not gonna hurt you," Jenny says in a soothing tone of voice. "But you need to start talking, now."

"I'm Rana Thanoptis, a neurospecialist. But this job isn't worth dying over…or worse. You think indoctrination only affects prisoners? Sooner or later, Saren will want to dissect _my_ brain, too!"

"What are you talking about? I thought this was a breeding facility."

"Not this level," she says with a shake of her head. "We're studying Sovereign's effect on organic minds. At least, that's what I assumed. Saren kept us in the dark as much as possible."

"So you didn't even know why you were helping him?" Ian asks.

"I didn't really have a choice to negotiate. This position is a little more…permanent than I expected. But I can help you! This elevator behind me goes to Saren's private lab. I can get you in." She walks over to said elevator and fiddles with the controls. After a second, the panel goes from red to green. "See? Full access. All of Saren's private files. Are we good? Can I go?"

"This place is gonna be little more than a crater soon," Jenny tells the asari doctor. "If you want to make it out alive, you should probably start running."

"What? But…but I'll never…ahhh!" And with that, she runs out of the room, fleeing for her life. It's quiet after she leaves, but the silence is broken by Garrus.

"You enjoyed that, Commander," he mutters. Ian and I chuckle at that, and Jenny keeps her mouth shut. But she's totally smiling.

Now that that's out of the way, we walk up to the door that Rana just opened for us. The door isn't actually an elevator like she said it was, but it leads to a walkway, which in turn leads to another door. Said door opens up to a small room which has the actual elevator she was talking about.

The lift takes us up to an oddly shaped room. There's a ramp leading to a series of catwalks below the level we're currently on. Looking down at the lower level, I see a familiar spire-thing giving off a distinct green glow. Oh fuck me. I'm about to get mind raped by another beacon.

With a sigh, I walk down the ramp towards the beacon, not bothering to wait for an order from Jenny. As soon as I enter the green glow, the whole thing flares to life, lifting me up into the air.

_That noise. The same noise as before. An absolutely primal, ungodly screech, echoing throughout my mind. Images flash by faster than I can comprehend them. I catch fleeting glimpses of machines and organisms, the machines doing…I can't tell what. It's probably for the best._

_Suddenly, a star appears. The perspective quickly pulls back to a planet orbiting that star. Zooming in on the planet, I catch the briefest glimpse of what looks like Sovereign before it all cuts away._

I fall to the ground, landing on my knees and panting. Well, that wasn't as bad as the first time, but it's still not a fun experience. At least I didn't pass out from the pain this time. Slowly, ever so slowly, I get to my feet.

"So what did you see?" Jenny asks from behind me. I turn around, and if I wasn't wearing a mask, I'd be running my hand down my face.

"I really don't know," I say, sounding tired. "I thought I saw something with a planet, but it all went by so fast."

"We'll have Liara take a look after the mission." I just nod my head, too tired to answer. "C'mon, let's get moving."

We walk back up the ramp, and as we reach the top, the end of the random walkway jutting out starts to glow red. Curious, we all walk over. Well, I'm not curious. This is where we meet Sovereign for the first time. Should be a fun conversation. As we reach the end, the shape of Sovereign appears as a blood-red hologram.

"I get the feeling something bad is about to happen," Wrex mutters.

"You are not Saren."

…

Fuck. That voice. It was always fucking cool in the game, but in reality…I'm not even sure words can describe it. It's absolutely void of any inflection, yet there's a coldness there that chills my heart.

_And you shouldn't be here._

…

Oh fuck. Did…did Sovereign just talk in my head?

_Yes. _

…

This can't be good.

"Rudimentary creatures of blood and flesh. You touch my mind, fumbling in ignorance, incapable of understanding." _I know what you are. Your presence here is an abomination._

Hold up, is he trying to tell me that _I'm_ the abomination here? I'm just a human who got sucked into something way over his head.

_Silence._

That voice overrides any other thought, bringing my mind to silence.

"There is a realm of existence so far beyond your own you cannot hope to even imagine it. I am beyond your comprehension. I am Sovereign."

"Sovereign isn't just some Reaper ship Saren found," Jenny says quietly, sounding awed. "It's an actual Reaper!"

"Reaper. A label created by the Protheans to give rise to their destruction. In the end, what they chose to call us is irrelevant. We simply are."

"You couldn't have been there when the Protheans vanished," Garrus says. Oh how wrong you are. "That was over 50,000 years ago."

"Organic life is nothing but a genetic mutation. An accident. Your lives are measured in years and decades. You wither and die." For some reason, that statement sends a shudder down my spine. "We are eternal. The pinnacle of evolution and existence. Before us, you are nothing. Your extinction is inevitable. We are the end of everything."

"There's an entire galaxy of races united and ready to face you," Jenny says, forcefully. But is that really true? Is the galaxy _truly_ united and ready to face this threat? I just don't know.

"Confidence born of ignorance. The cycle cannot be broken."

"What is it talking about?" Garrus asks. "What cycle?"

"The pattern has repeated itself more times than you can fathom. Organic civilizations rise, evolve, advance. And at the apex of their glory, they are extinguished. The Protheans were not the first. They did not create the Citadel. They did not forge the mass relays. They merely found them, a legacy of my kind."

_You cannot hope to defeat me. Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness. Your knowledge does you no good if you cannot share it. You _will_ fail._

…

No. No, that can't be right. I've been doing everything I can to change things for the better. I'm honestly trying to _help_ here.

But what if he's right? I can't…what if…what if it's not enough? I'm just one man. How the hell can I make a difference?

No! I _will_ make a difference! But in a way, Sovereign's right. My greatest weapon against the Reapers is basically crippled while I keep it a secret. I think I need to tell…someone…once this mission is over. It's time I start to _really_ make a difference. Sovereign's words finally pull me out of my thoughts.

"Your words are as empty as your future. I am the vanguard of your destruction. This exchange is over."

_And your fate is sealed._

**A/N: Dun dun dun...**

**Well there ya go. Just like the title said, we had a fun little talk with Sovereign. Also some other stuff, but let's face it, this is probably the second biggest thing in this mission. The biggest thing will come next chapter: the dreaded decision. Will Ash survive? Will Kaidan survive? Will they ****_both_ survive? Who knows? I sure don't ;)**

**Anywho, this is another chapter in the books. Ta ta, folks!**


	28. Live and Die On This Day

**A/N: Well boys and girls, we're finally here. The end of Virmire. I'm not even sure words can describe how happy I am to see this chapter out. And honestly, I'm surprised I've managed to make it this far. You know what? I've made it this far because of you: my readers. Seriously, you guys and girls have made this whole endeavor worth it. **

**On a similar note, WttF has almost hit 300 reviews. I'm literally at 299 at the time of writing this A/N. Again, that's just crazy. So another round of thanks for all of my wonderful reviewers.**

**And one last thing before starting this chapter. I need to thank iNf3ctioNZ and Kassandra Black for all their help recently. We're finally here. Took long enough ;) Anywho, enjoy!**

**Live and Die On This Day**

An explosion. The small bank of widows in here explodes in a flurry of glass. The whole building shakes for a fraction of a second, almost sending us to the ground.

"Commander! We've got a problem!" Joker yells over the radio.

"What's going on out there, Joker?" Jenny asks.

"That ship, Sovereign? It's moving. I don't know what you did down there, but that thing just pulled a turn that would shear any of our ships in half! It's coming your way, and it's coming _hard_! You need to wrap things up in there, fast!"

"It looks like this console is disabled, Commander," Garrus says. Thanks for that, captain obvious. "What are your orders?"

"We keep going," she says, simply. "Make our way to the bombsite, plant it, and get the hell out." We nod our agreement and head into the elevator we came in from.

Back at the ground level, we open the door leading to Rana's old office to see a surprise waiting for us: a geth destroyer at the end of the walkway. Yay…

It sees us, and after a split second's hesitation, Jenny lets off a sniper round right into its flashlight head. Its shields absorb the shot, but they must have taken a major hit. With the first shot fired, the rest of us join in on the fun. For some reason, the giant robot simply charges us, not bothering to even shoot whatever weapon it's holding. That actually makes this fight laughably easy. The thing is dead before it gets halfway to us.

We cross the short bridge to Rana's office, and Kirrahe come over the radio, spouting off something about the geth redirecting. Whatever makes their job easier, I suppose. On the other side of the office, the previously up drawbridge is now down, allowing us to cross. The other side of the bridge is pretty much a straightaway leading to a door. There are some support struts keeping an adjacent building up in the path. Oh, also some krogan. They look mad.

We should probably kill them.

There are four of them, and one of them charges just like the destroyer did. And just like the destroyer, he doesn't make it half way to us before he's dead. Unfortunately, he had buddies, so the five of us are forced into cover once he's dead.

The other three krogan actually show some intelligence: They stay back. Still, it's not that hard for five of us to kill three of them. Hell, I've fought a krogan alone and come out on top…kind of. A little…

Ok, so Ash helped. But still! Compared to that, this is nothing.

Jenny is an absolute terror on this straightaway with her sniper rifle. Garrus and Ian aren't doing too badly, either. Hell, with the three of them, there's hardly anything for Wrex and I to do. But Wrex, rather than wait back here and whittle them down, decides to advance on them. I really shouldn't be surprised.

Well, I can't really let him go alone, even though he could probably take all three of those bastard krogan by himself, so under the amazing sniper cover that we've had all mission, the two of us advance towards the waiting krogan. Once Wrex gets within shotgun range of the closest one, said one simply exits cover and charges. Bad idea. Wrex's shotgun simply outclasses whatever piece of shit the other krogan is using. Combine that with the fact that his shields are gone from all the sniper fire, and Wrex easily paints the wall with the krogan's brain.

That's when the other two decide to attempt a bum rush. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm standing next to the single most badass krogan ever and had three phenomenal snipers at my back, I might be scared. But honestly, these two have no chance! One takes two sniper shots as soon as he exits cover, and the other takes a sniper shot of his own, in addition to Wrex's shotgun and my Mattock. The two krogan stagger at the sheer volume of fire poured at them, which only gives us more time to pump more lead into them.

It's over fairly quickly.

With them out of the way, we advance down the straightaway towards the door. Said door opens into an enclosed hallway. We follow the path as it curves left, soon taking us to another door, which leads us back outside. From what I can see, we look to be at the base of a tower. We follow the path in front of us, which takes us up a curved incline that leads up the tower. We round the base, and…

Well that doesn't look fun.

"That turret could punch some nasty holes in the Normandy," Garrus says, dryly. No shit, Sherlock. He seems to like pointing out the obvious lately. Before anyone can reply to that, bullets impact the ground by our feet.

Immediately, we bring our attention back to the task at hand: namely, killing anything that gets in our way. Like Joker said, we're running out of time.

There are two krogan and a good number of geth hoppers along the path to the AA gun. The krogan are a goodly distance away, meaning that they don't pose a huge threat right now. Jenny still focuses on them, however, leaving us to kill the hoppers. Following our established strategy with these wily bastards, Wrex captures the nearest one in a mass effect field, suspending it helplessly in midair. Garrus, Ian, and I open up on it, and it's soon destroyed. We rinse and repeat that process five more times until the last of the hoppers is dead.

Jenny has also taken out the two krogan before they could do any damage to us. So good job on her part.

Now that the path is clear, we advance up the ramp that leads to the AA gun controls. And what do you know, it's sitting right there! Power core exposed and everything. Jenny, Garrus, Ian, and I look at Wrex, who just gives a grunt and shoots the exposed core.

An elevator on the opposite side of the room opens up, and more shots are soon impacting our shields. We quickly turn around to see two geth stepping out of the elevator. They aren't even destroyers. Just regular geth. It's not that hard to kill two of them.

"Good work shadow," Kirrahe says over the radio. "Now it's our turn."

There's really nothing we can say after that, so we just enter the elevator. We come out facing yet another straightaway. This one has pods lining each wall and has a few inches of water on the ground. And look, more enemies! Whoop-dee-fucking-doo.

This whole straightaway is nothing but hoppers. About six of them. Seriously, these little fuckers are annoying as hell. True to their name, they start hopping around at random, never staying in the same place for more than a few seconds. This really could be the definition of "pain in the ass". The hoppers' little laser-sniper-whatever shots are constantly flying through the air, sometimes hitting our shields, sometimes barely missing. It's actually kind of nerve-wracking. Even when we're in cover, the metallic bastards are just waiting for us to stick our heads out.

Slowly, ever so slowly, we whittle away at their numbers. We take them down to three…two…one. The last hopper gets a final shot off before it loses its flashlight head.

"Gah, fuck!"

"Ian!"

I look back to see Ian on the ground, clutching his upper left arm. In the blink of an eye, Garrus is by his side, concern written all over his face. Even a novice of reading turian facial features could clearly see the worry on his face. As Ian sits there, letting the medi-gel kick in, it looks like Garrus is whispering something to him. Probably words of encouragement. I walk a bit closer to see if the Brit's ok, and—

I stop dead in my tracks at the sound coming from Garrus. As soon as I got within ten feet, he instantly turned to stare and growl at me. I slowly start to back away, trying to look as harmless as possible, when Ian speaks up.

"Garrus, calm down," he says quietly. "He wasn't gonna hurt me. I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine. Really. It's ok." Garrus, who had turned back to look at Ian, closes his eyes and sighs. Then he stands up and faces me.

"Sorry, Dylan," he says, extending a hand. "I let instincts get the best of me."

"No worries, big guy," I tell him, clasping his hand. "Now if Ian's ok, we should probably keep moving."

"I'll be fine," Ian says, slowly getting up off the ground. "The medi-gel's kicked in, so I'm ready to go."

"Good, because we're almost at the bomb site," Jenny says. "We're almost done with this planet." Oh Jenny, if only you knew the hell that's about to be unleashed. I'm looking forward to getting off this planet, too, but I'm also afraid of who might not be leaving with us.

With Ian back on his feet, we continue to the large door at the end of our current path. As we get closer to the door, Kirrahe's voice again comes over the radio, warning his team to take cover because the explosives have been set. A few seconds later, as our door is opening, a large explosion resounds throughout the facility. Joker's excited voice comes over the radio.

"All right! Nice work. That's one less thing to worry about. Commander, I'm bringing us in. I'll get as close to the site as I can. Alenko and Tali have managed to get the bomb working, so they're ready to go."

"Alright, Joker, see you soon," Jenny says. So now we're waiting here at the bombsite. True to the game, it's a fairly large, open area with a few inches of water on the ground. Also a number of fuel tanks lining the walls. I'm not sure why _this_ is where the bomb needed to be, but I'm inclined to trust an STG captain on matters like that.

In a matter of minutes, the Normandy comes flying in and quickly settles with its cargo bay door as close to the ground as possible. A few techs—and Tali—hop out first. I guess to make sure the bomb doesn't get dropped, or something. Then Kaidan, along with another marine, appears at the lip of the cargo bay with the bomb. It's an ugly looking thing, but I guess it has no need for style.

Kaidan and the marine drag the bomb along, somehow making it float a few inches off the ground. They reach the specified bombsite and place the nuke carefully on the ground. Kaidan then walks up to us, giving Jenny a salute.

"The bomb is in position," he says. "We're all set here—"

"Commander, can you read me?"

It's begun. Fuck.

"Loud and clear, Ash," Jenny says. "We're almost ready on this end, so get to the rendezvous point!"

"No can do, Commander. The geth have us pinned down on the AA tower. We've taken heavy casualties. We'll never make the rendezvous point in time!"

"Joker! Go get them out of there!"

"Negative, Commander, it's too hot!" Ash nearly yells into the radio. That really isn't sounding good. Please let her be alright. Please let this crazy plan of mine work. "Can't risk it! We'll hold them off as long as we—"

"What just happened?" I ask, unable to help myself. "Why did it just cut off like that?"

"We need to go help her," Jenny says. "Kaidan, will you be alright here?"

"It's fine, Commander," he says. "I need a few minutes to set up the bomb, anyway. You go save Ash."

"Good luck, Kaidan," Jenny nods. Then she looks back at us. "C'mon, up to the AA tower, double time!"

We run off to a door on the other side of the bombsite, fighting against the clock to save Ash. This has to work. I _won't_ let it fail.

The door opens, and we're met with a rather large, mixed group of enemies. There are a few krogan, but mostly geth of various types.

I'll say this right now: I don't recall much of this fight. My mind at this point is focused so much on saving Ash that I let my body take over.

So the time is upon us. The end is nigh, as some might say. Actually, no. Fuck that. This is where my natural cynicism doesn't help me. I need to _believe_ that we'll succeed. Otherwise, I don't think I can keep going.

Oh how I curse those two weeks before Virmire! If we had come straight here after Noveria, I wouldn't know what I could be losing. But now…god. I don't know what I'd do.

The silence brings my mind back to reality. Everything in our way is dead. We enter the elevator at the end of the path and ride in silence. The door opens, and we exit, following the path that will lead us to the AA tower. After a moment, a large, insectile craft descends towards the bombsite.

"Shit, looks like geth reinforcements," Ian says.

"Heads up, LT," Ash says over the radio. Ok, she's still fine. Probably. "We just spotted a troop ship headed towards your location."

"It's already here!" Kaidan yells with the sound of fighting in the background. "There are geth pouring out all over the bomb site!"

"Kaidan, how bad is it?" Jenny asks. "Can you hold them off?"

"There are too many! I don't think we can last long enough for you to get back!" There's a distinct pause, but the sound of fighting continues, meaning he's still on the radio. "I'm activating the bomb."

Fuck. Now it really has begun.

"Kaidan, what the hell are you thinking?" Jenny yells.

"I'm just making sure this bomb goes off," he says, sounding very calm. "No matter what." There's another pause like the last one. A scream can be heard in the background. "It's done. Go get Ash and get off this damn planet."

"Screw that!" Ash retorts hotly. "We can handle ourselves. Go back and get Alenko!"

Silence. Jenny stands by the railing, shoulders slumped. Should…should I say something? Would she appreciate—

"Kaidan, radio Joker and tell him to meet us at the bomb site. Ash…I'm sorry."

…

Wh…what? Did…did she just…?

No. No, no, no, no no no nononono!

"NO!" All eyes turn to me. "Jenny, you don't have to make a choice! There are _five_ of us right here! Tali and Liara are still on the Normandy! If we split up, we can save both of them! Fuck it, I'll go alone if I have to!"

"No you won't, mate," Ian says, coming to stand next to me. "I'm with Dylan on this. There's no reason we have to choose." Ian, you are a godsend.

"And if Ian goes, I do too," Garrus says. "If the three of us go to help Williams, you and Wrex can help Alenko. When the Normandy comes to pick you up, Tali and Liara will be there to help." And Garrus, you're just as much a godsend as Ian. He said what I was thinking, and I think Jenny's more inclined to take his advice on tactical matters.

Silence. But it's shorter this time.

"Kaidan, you're still radioing Joker," Jenny says. "But when you do, have him get Tali and Liara ready. Once you're onboard, we're getting Ash, too."

"Aye aye, ma'am," he says.

"Ash, you sit tight. Dylan, Ian, and Garrus are on their way."

"Well tell them to hurry! We're getting swamped here!"

That's all I need to hear to send me running off towards the AA tower. I barely register the "good luck" that Jenny gives me or the footsteps of Ian and Garrus behind me. In a blur, we're in the elevator up the tower

The door opens up, revealing the backs of about ten geth. I waste absolutely no time, firing my Mattock into the exposed six of the geth unit. Caught between two groups of enemies, the geth don't know which side to face. Either way, they're fucked.

A minute of intense fighting finally breaks us through to Ash's position. There's a small lull in between waves of geth, so I have plenty of time to make sure she's ok. I pass a few wary looking salarians, including Kirrahe, trying to find Ash.

I finally find her.

Fuck!

"Ash!"

I run to her side, kneeling next to her sitting form. There's a small pool of blood on the ground next to her.

Her eyes are closed.

But now they open.

"I'm fine," she says quietly. "I took a shot to the leg. I think it fractured my femur. I'm swimming in pain meds, so I can't really tell."

"Shit, Ash, I'm just glad you're still alive," I say, concern clearly evident in my voice. "I thought I got here too late."

"Nope, just in time to save the day." I can't help but smile.

"What is this, four times now?" But before she can get in a quip of her own, more geth start to arrive. I give her a long look. "Stay down. I'm not going through all of this shit to have you die 'cause you didn't know to keep your head down." She looks about to retort, but I cut her off. "I'm serious. Stay behind cover. I'll protect you."

I don't wait for her to respond. I just rise up from behind the concrete slab we're both behind and start shooting. It looks like there is a hell of a lot more geth than when I first got here. But between Ian, Garrus, the remaining salarians, and I, we're able to keep the synthetic bastards at bay.

The minutes drag on as the geth continue to attack non-stop. I do my best to take clean, accurate shots, but I'll admit I'm getting tired. I honestly have no idea how long we've been on this planet, and it's been almost continuous action. Fatigue and adrenaline combine to make my accuracy less than stellar.

A scream as one of the salarians falls. I can see even from here that he's already dead. We just need to keep fighting. Keep surviving.

Five minutes go by. Ten. I'm starting to wonder where the hell Jenny is. I seriously think we're running out of time here.

Finally, I start to hear the sound of the Normandy's engines behind me. Risking a look back there, I see the tail of the Normandy with an open cargo bay facing us. Jenny and Kaidan are standing at the opening, laying down cover fire.

"Dylan, Ian, Garrus, it's time to get out of here!" she yells over the radio. "Grab Ash and let's go!"

"On it!" I yell back. "Ian, Garrus, I'll grab Ash and get her in the Normandy! Give me some covering fire!" I get no verbal response, but suddenly a hail of pistol and assault rifle shots are sent downrange.

Using this opportunity, I manage to get Ash into some semblance of a fireman's carry: her torso distributed across both shoulders with her legs on my right and her head on my left. Once she's on my shoulders, I start running as fast as I can towards the Normandy. I have about a 75 foot distance to cross with basically no cover now that I'm moving. Keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the goal, I can see Jenny and Kaidan laying down torrents of fire. But that doesn't mean that the geth aren't still shooting at me; I can feel shots impacting my shields.

With about 40 feet left to go, my shields dip below 50%. After that, they start to fall at an accelerating rate. After only another 10 feet, I hear the 25% warning resound inside my mask.

I will make this. I have come too far to fail now. Gritting my teeth, I find a last reserve of energy. But with 10 feet left—just 10 fucking feet—my shields die. Now I feel the bullets impact my armor. Suddenly, a searing pain rips through my left shoulder.

Fuck, I must have taken a shot. Fucking hell, I'm so close! I need to keep going! The fact that Ash feels heavier after that hit doesn't help matters. Somehow, I manage to stagger the last few feet into the cargo deck.

I collapse forward onto the deck, and somehow manage to roll Ash off my back fairly gently. I just lay there on my stomach, breathing like I've never breathed before, trying to ignore the near blinding pain in my shoulder. Luckily—thank fucking Christ—my armor's med system kicks in and delivers medi-gel to the wound. Soon enough, my shoulder is blissfully numb.

Shortly thereafter, I hear the pounding of footsteps in the cargo bay, followed quickly by the doors closing. I guess Ian and Garrus—and the salarians—made it safely. Good. We went to all this trouble to save Ash that it would be heartbreaking if one of them died instead.

Speaking of Ash, I can't believe that this crazy scheme actually worked. I actually managed to save both Ash and Kaidan. Well, if canon wasn't fucked up enough as is, I can rest assured knowing that canon is probably FUBAR now.

I manage to turn myself to look at Ash lying on the ground, realizing that she's been oddly quiet. She looks alright—

No…


	29. Blood

**Blood**

Blood. Oh god, so much blood. But…but I though the medi-gel stopped the bleeding. Maybe I reopened the wound when I was carrying her.

…

I scramble over to where she's laying on her back on the floor, ripping my own armored gloves off.

The blood isn't coming from her leg. There's a hole in her chest plate.

No. No. No, no, no, no, no.

"No," I breathe. I look up to see if anyone else has noticed, but they're all finding pleasure in the fact that we made it off Virmire. Not knowing what else to do, I start disengaging the seals of her chest plate. My shaking hands fumble with the various clamps and locks, but I manage to get it off.

Blood. Too much blood. I look away, almost throwing up at the sight of it. As it is, I can't help but dry heave a few times. The sound of my retching seems to break everyone else out of their false sense of success. The footsteps seem far away. As do the words.

I somehow manage to look back at the wound, and I realize something: the blood has stopped flowing. But it doesn't look like there's any medi-gel on the wound.

Realization dawns, and I place a trembling hand under her chin, searching for a pulse. The skin under my fingers seems…cold. I don't feel the reassuring thump of a working vein under my fingers.

Oh god, please no. Please, Ash, don't leave me. No. Not now. Not after everything I went through to save you. Not after everything we went through together. Not after we finally found each other.

You can't leave like this, Ash. When you left with the salarians, you wanted to tell me something. You told me to stay alive. Well here I am. Now it's time for you to wake up, Ash. Time for you to tell me what you were gonna say. Time for you to get up and say you'll be ok.

Time for you to not leave me!

Maybe I can save her! I…I learned CPR in school. Maybe…maybe I can get her heart started again. Seal the wound and restart her heart. Yeah, that's what I need to do.

I administer a dose of medi-gel to her wound, sealing it off so it won't start bleeding once her heart starts beating again. Then I place my interlocked hands over her chest and start compressions. Shit, what is it again? Fifteen then two breaths? I think so.

I'm only vaguely aware of the yelling that has continued all around me. Right now, my focus is solely on bringing Ash back. I get to the twelfth compression when I feel hands on my shoulders trying to pull me back. Why are they trying to take me away? Don't they know they're ruining my compressions?

I resist, doing my damndest to keep the compressions at a steady rate. That's when I feel more hands grab at me. Still I resist, but it's getting harder. My left arm is killing me, and my vision is starting to blur.

All at once, my strength leaves me, and I'm pulled away from Ash's body. I don't know who's pulling me, and I can't understand the words he or she is speaking. Everything still seems so distant. I go limp in my carrier's arms, letting him or her lead me away. Finally, I'm set down against a wall.

I sit there, unmoving, staring at my hands in my lap.

Blood. Her blood. On my hands. It finally hits me.

She's gone.

That knowledge washes over me like a flood, and I can't stop the tears from flowing. I bring my knees to my chest and let the anguish take over. My mind shuts down, unable to come to terms with what just happened.

A noise begins to intrude on my mourning, and I try to ignore it. However, it grows more persistent. Finally, it coalesces into a voice speaking a single word.

"Dylan?"

Slowly, I look up to see Jenny squatting in front of me. Taking my movement as a sign of acknowledgement, she slowly extends her hands towards my face. She removes the mask that I had forgotten was still on and places it on the ground. Our eyes meet for a moment before I look away.

I feel her shift, and I suddenly find myself in a gentle hug. Too tired to resist, I simply melt into the surprisingly tender embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Dylan," she whispers. "I really don't know what else to say." There's a pause, and I continue to cry into her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Am I alright?

"No," I breathe, barely audible.

"Shh. It's ok. Just let it all out, Dylan. Just let it out."

The last thing I remember is her voice, sounding like a haven to rest my battered soul.

* * *

I wake up sometime later in the med bay. I'm lying propped up on the bed, and my shoulder is killing me. What the hell happened? Maybe Ash can—

Ash…

I quickly look around, hoping against hope that this was all just a horrible injury-dream and that Ash is fine. She's not sitting next to me like she usually did when I got injured. She's not in the next bed. Before I can look around more, Dr. Chakwas walks in. Maybe she knows where Ash is.

"Dr. Chakwas."

"Ah, Dylan, you're finally awake," she says with a motherly smile. "You're probably wondering why you're in here."

"Where's Ash," I ask, desperation clearly evident in my voice. I know she was injured. I need to know that she's ok.

…

That isn't a good look.

"Doc…where's Ash?"

"Dylan…darling…I'm not sure how to tell you this…" She walks over to the bedside and gives me a gentle hug. "There was nothing I could do for her, dear. She…she didn't make it."

Reality crashes down around me. Everything from the cargo bay comes flooding back.

Ash on the ground, hole in her chest plate, blood slowly expanding outward. Futilely trying to bring her back. Jenny pulling me off her body. Seeing the blood on my hands. Her blood.

Again, the tears flow freely, and I cry into Chakwas' shoulder.

Eventually, the tears slow down, and I let go of the good doctor.

"I know there aren't any words to make the pain go away, but I'm here for you," she says softly. "We're all here for you. Is there anyone you want to talk to?"

"Is…is Jenny around?" I ask with a sniffle.

"I'll go find her." And she walks out, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I can't believe it. Ash is…is…

I can't even bring myself to think those thoughts.

The door to the med bay whooshes open, pulling me back from the edge of the abyss. I look up to see Jenny walk in with a soft, caring expression on her face.

"What happened, Jenny?" I ask as she comes to sit next to me.

"What?"

"I need to know what happened." She looks hesitant. "Jenny, please. I…I need to know."

"If this is really what you want…" I just nod. Maybe knowing will help the pain. She sighs before starting. "As best we can tell, she took the hit while you were carrying her back. We're pretty sure it was the same shot that lodged itself in your shoulder." So it was my fault…if I had just run faster, she would be alive.

"There was…there was nothing the doc could do?" Jenny looks down and gives an almost imperceptible shake of her head. "So it really was my fault."

"No! Don't you dare think that!" she yells, suddenly looking up with a fire in her eyes. "Dylan, you did everything you possibly could have. The only reason Ash even had a _chance_ was because of you. I don't care what anyone says. This was not your fault, and I will beat the crap out of anyone who says it was—you included. Do you understand me?" All I can do is nod dumbly. "Good. Now remember, everyone on this ship is here for you. Do you want to talk some more?"

"No. I think I need to be alone with my thoughts for a while."

"Ok. If you need anything, tell Dr. Chakwas, and we'll make it happen." She pauses, and a brief flash of sadness crosses her face. "I'm so sorry. We all loved her, and she'll be sorely missed." Jenny stands up and gives me a brief hug before walking out.

Despite Jenny's words, I still can't shake the feeling that I didn't do enough. That if I had just done…something, Ash would still be here.

I barely hear Chakwas when she announces that she's going to sleep. I guess it's later than I thought. She tells me to call if I need anything, but I doubt I will. I just need to be alone for a while.

That wish is shattered when Garrus comes into the med bay shortly after the doc leaves. He completely ignores me and goes to the next bed over, which I've just now realized is occupied by a sleeping Ian. That's right…he got injured too.

Garrus sits next to Ian's bed and takes Ian's hand in his. I look away. Seeing those two together only makes my pain feel greater. Thankfully, Garrus is quiet, not wanting to wake Ian, so I can still have the pretense of being alone.

Again, that façade is broken when Ian wakes up. They start talking, and I can hear snippets of their whispered conversation. Garrus is all protective about Ian getting injured, and he can't get it through his thick skull that Ian's fine.

Ian, on the other hand, keeps brushing off Garrus' concern like it's an annoyance.

"Garrus, seriously, I'm fine," he says after the tenth time Garrus asks if he's alright. "You don't need to worry about me." God, does he not realize what he has? Fucking hell!

"At least you have someone who _can_ worry about you," I mutter, unable to contain myself. Ian just looks over, surprised that I spoke up.

"Look, Dylan...sorry. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Yeah, well, I'm just saying. Be fucking grateful for what you have."

"I am," he says, hesitantly, taking both of Garrus' hands in his.

"Dylan, I know you're still upset over Ash's death—" Garrus starts, but I interrupt him.

"You think I'm 'upset'?" I ask, suddenly angry. How dare he! "You think that's all it is? I might have loved her! She might have loved me! Now I'll never know! How would you feel if one of you lost the other?"

"I don't think about it," Ian answers, sounding completely honest. Well good for you. "I don't want to. Look, mate, I can't even begin to understand how hard this is, but we're your friends. We want to help." Oh, so now they want to _help_.

"You want to help?" I ask, hearing a slight hint of…something in my voice. I ignore it. "How fucking cute. Fine. You want to try to know what I'm feeling? Imagine the worst pain you've ever felt. Now imagine that there's _nothing_ that can make it feel better. No pain meds, no medi-gel. Nothing."

"You don't think we've experienced loss?" Garrus asks suddenly, sounding angry.

"We don't know what you're going through," Ian says, trying to calm him down. "But we can talk about this."

"What is there to talk about?" I nearly scream. "I lost the woman I loved. You two still have each other. How the hell can you two help me?"

"By listening to you," the Brit answers, calmly. God, how the hell is he so calm? "Having someone to talk to will help."

"And what do you want me to say? What _can_ I say?"

"Whatever you need to. There's no right or wrong thing to say, you don't have to say anything at all. You just have people with you."

"So I'm supposed to spill my troubles to a gay, British midget?" I ask, letting all my accumulated feelings escape in that one sarcastic question. "Hi-fucking-larious. Can you tell another one?"

Suddenly Garrus is on his feet, growling. "What the _fuck_ did you call him?" Oh, did I make him angry? Boo-hoo.

Ian grabs Garrus' arm before he can do anything. "You should wait outside," Ian tells him. "Now." Garrus makes eye contact, staying silent for a while.

"Fine," he says after a while. He stops in front of my bed before exiting. "If anything happens to him..."

"Bite me," I say, looking him in the eyes. His mandibles flare, and he growls louder, but he doesn't say anything. He just walks out.

"I can see why he's mad, you know," Ian says once Garrus is out of the room. God, he still sounds so fucking _calm_! "I mean, first off, I'm bisexual, not gay; then I'm Scottish instead of British. And I'm 5'8". Your definition of midget is a bit loose."

I look back at Ian and take a breath to speak before I stop myself. What the hell am I doing? I've been insulting Ian for no reason other than the fact that he still has Garrus. I'm deflecting my anger to him, and that's not right. What is wrong with me? I sigh, realizing how much of an ass I've been.

"Fuck. Damn it, I'm sorry, Ian. That was...uncalled for."

"Relax. You've got a right to be pissed off," he says, leaning back in his bed. "Garrus'll simmer down; I'll go talk to him once Chakwas lets me out."

"Yeah...I was being serious earlier. You two have a great thing going," I tell him. I stop and look down at my lap. "It took losing mine to realize that."

"Hey, chin up, alright? You couldn't have known what was gonna happen, mate. And you ran all the way through a wall of geth fire for her. You couldn't have done any more than you did."

His words seem to stab me like a knife. I couldn't have known…I couldn't have done more.

Something snaps.

"I couldn't have known? Fuck that, I couldn't have known! I fucking knew it all, and it still wasn't enough! I did everything I could, and it still wasn't enough! I gave everything short of my life, and it still wasn't enough! There's always more I could have done. I fucked up, Ian, and I can't change that."

A silence descends over the med bay after my tirade.

"What do you mean, 'knew it all?'" he asks, quietly.

"Fuck."

Did I really just spill my secret? Just like that?

But is that such a bad thing? Hell, Sovereign even told me that keeping my secret was only hurting me. Maybe…maybe it's time someone knows.

"You won't believe me, but here it goes," I say looking up into Ian's eyes. "I'm not from this universe. Where I come from, everything that's happened is detailed in a video game. A game which I played. It was called Mass Effect. I've know about everything that's happened so far. So I knew about having to make a choice on Virmire, and I tried to stop it." I pause and look down again. "I guess some things can't change."

Silence falls once again over the med bay.

"Well I'll be damned," he says, quietly. "Guess I'm not the only one."

**A/N: And BOOM!**

**So obviously, I need to thank iNf3ctioNZ for the end of this chapter. I should also thank Kassandra Black for some general help with the beginning. Seriously, you two are awesome.**

**So I know this is a really short chapter. Blame the upcoming Mass Effect 3 demo. I think all of you can appreciate that. Also, I couldn't help ending it like that *trollface* You know you love it :)**

**Anywho, until next time, ta ta!**


	30. Aftermath

**A/N: Well, here we are. Last chapter was, by far, my most reviewed chapter, but I'm hoping to continue that with this one. At least this is a happier chapter. I know I left you guys and gals sort of hanging with the ending of the last chapter, so I'll stop talking now. Enjoy!**

**Aftermath**

"Hold up, what?" I ask after a moment of stunned silence.

"Yeah," he says, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't know?"

"I…" Did I know? I don't think I did. "I guess not. I mean, there were some things about you that seemed...off, but I thought it was all just because I was here to fuck up canon. Are you saying you _did_ know?"

"I thought you knew on Feros!" he says, sounding surprised. "I mean, you started quoting Ellis from Left 4 Dead, so I played Coach...wow, this is awkward." He chuckles. "My bad."

I was trying to inject some humor into the mission! And 'Now's not the time' is a pretty generic response. How would I know you were doing Coach?"

"It didn't strike you as a bit of a coincidence?" he asks.

"Dude, with all the shit happening to canon, how the hell am I supposed to tell anymore?" I ask, rhetorically. "So...I guess you figured it out of Feros...Never thought to approach me about it?"

"Nah."

…

"'Nah'? That's it? Just nah?" I ask, voice rising a bit. "I've been freaking the fuck out over this for practically the whole mission! Would have been nice to know someone else was in the same boat!"

"Well, we've both been trying to keep it a secret," he says, calmly. "I didn't want to go fucking that up."

Damn…that makes sense. I probably would have done the same thing. "Ok, that makes sense, I guess. So..." I chuckle. "What happens now?"

"We form a secret society and have meetings and shit."

…

"Please tell me you're joking," I say, giving him a long look.

"Course I'm joking, Christ," he says, laughing. "Nothing happens really. I mean, no offence, I've been doing this two years longer than you; I've got a bit more experience. So I say we just continue as normal."

"Ok, yeah, you're right." I pause, a thought coming to me, and I laugh too. "God, I can't believe I didn't catch it. So much shit about you makes sense now. I feel stupid."

"Well, it's hardly a logical conclusion to jump to," he shrugs. "So...how'd you end up here?"

"I died. At least, that's what Death told me. One minute I'm camping in the woods on a hunting trip, next minute I'm waking up with a seven foot skeleton telling me I'm needed elsewhere." I chuckle, shaking my head. "How 'bout you?"

"I was brushing my teeth. No joke. I was about to rinse when he just came out of fucking nowhere," he says, grinning. "I've met him twice. To be fair, he's an alright guy."

"Yeah, same here. I saw him on Noveria when that geth nearly crushed me. Freaked me out at them time, let me tell you."

"It's a little worrying. But once you get past the whole "possibility of dying" thing he's quite easy to get along with."

"He seems nice enough," I say, honestly. "Kinda socially awkward, but I can understand why." I pause. "God, I still can't believe I'm having this conversation."

"Same here. It's quite nice, though, having someone else."

"You got that right. So, just out of curiosity, when did Death come get you?"

"Uh...7th July, 2010," he says "You?"

"November...Shit. Um, November 28th, 2011," I tell him. Then I pause, thinking about that for a second. "Damn. That's quite a difference." As soon as I say that, he snaps his fingers.

"Shit, DLC. You'll know about the stuff I missed."

"God, I forgot about that! What was the last DLC you remember coming out?"

"They were talking about one called Overlord?" he says, not sounding quite so sure about that.

"So that wasn't out yet when Death got you?" I ask for clarification.

"Nope."

"Then you missed a lot, my friend," I tell him with a smile. "Overlord wasn't a huge one. Basically a Cerberus scientist manages to upload a man's mind into a secular geth collective. The man went crazy, and we had to stop him from getting off world."

"That wasn't huge?" he asks, sounding shocked. "What the fuck was, then?" I just grin.

"Oh, you know...just taking out the Shadow Broker."

His jaw drops. My grin grows bigger. Guess I should explain it to him.

"Basically, Cerberus gets a possible lead on the Shadow Broker's location. We give that data to Liara, and she starts digging. But, a Spectre who's in the Shadow Broker's pocket tries to kill her. Crazy shit happens, we kill the Spectre, and then go after the Broker himself."

"Is the Broker anyone we know?" he asks. Then he gets a sort of conspiratorial look, and his voice drops to a whisper. "I always had a theory it was Conrad Verner..."

Did he just…he thought…

I try my best to not die laughing, I really do. But I can't control it. Finally, I bust a gut, and just laugh for a good minute straight. It kinda makes my shoulder hurt, but this is just too funny. Ian probably thinks I've gone crazy. Finally, I manage to regain my composure.

"No, no one we know," I tell him. "Hell, it's not even a species we knew about before. A race called the Yahg."

"They sound...cuddly."

"Bigger, meaner, tougher, and faster than a krogan," I deadpan. "If that's cuddly to you, then yes...very cuddly."

"Wrex would probably have something to say about that," he chuckles. Then he pauses and shakes his head. "God, this is weird. I guess me and Garrus must've been a big shock?"

"Just a tad," I tell him, holding up my hand with the thumb and forefinger close together. "I mean...I've got nothing against gay couples, I just didn't see it coming. Though knowing what I do now, everything you two have been through, I can understand how it happened."

"I was surprised he felt like that about me too. But it's nice." He gives a sort of small, shy smile. "He's cute. At least when he's not angry about something. I'll get him to say sorry to you."

"No, it's alright. If anything, I should apologize to him. I was being a total douche."

"You had a good reason," Ian says.

And fuck. That just brought me back to reality. Ash is really gone. God, this shit with Ian let me forget for a while, but now the knowledge is back full force. I look down and sigh, trying to keep the memories from overpowering me.

"I just...I can't believe she's gone, Ian. I honestly thought I had saved her when I got into the Normandy."

"So did I," he says, quietly. "But we ain't letting her die for nothing, you know that."

"I know. Still...I just feel...lost right now. Once I admitted my feelings, I spent every effort to try to save her." I look up and meet his gaze. "And I failed."

"Maybe," he shrugs. "But now you've got a choice. You let that get to you, or you use it to help push you on. You'd be failing if you let this stop you now, Dylan. Besides, Ash would kick your ass for moping."

"Fuck," I say, looking down. "Why do you have to be right?" And he is right. Sitting here, wallowing in self-pity, only tarnishes Ash's memory. And that's all I have left of her.

"Cos I'm awesome. Can't be helped."

"Fuck you," I say with a small smile, shaking my head. Then I pause and sigh. "Do you know the last thing I said to her was?"

"What?"

I look up again and stare into his face. "I told her I'd protect her. I know it doesn't help to mope, but I just can't stop hearing those words in my head."

Ian just looks at me for a second. "I can't say anything to make it feel better, mate," he says after a while. "You're gonna have to live with that. But would you rather have said nothing at all? This way...at least she knew you cared."

"There you go, being right again," I sigh. "Don't worry, big guy, I'll find a way to deal with it."

"I know. It's easy enough for me to say this, anyway. If I lost Garrus now, I...I don't even know."

"Then don't think about it," I tell him. "Let's talk about something dealing with us being from the same universe. You know, happier things."

"Saren. We can talk about him." Strange topic, but whatever.

"Ok. What about him?" I ask. Ian leans back in the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

"I'm curious. What's your read on him? Since you know about him."

"I'm not really sure," I say. "I don't think he's evil, necessarily, just...misguided. He thinks he's doing the right thing. But I know that he isn't totally sure of that. He has doubts. Weaknesses. Which we can exploit."

"Yeah. God, saying it like that seems so...harsh." He stops and frowns, looking thoughtful. "I know what he's done, I'm not condoning that. But I feel sorry for him."

Really? He feels sorry for him? Huh. Haven't heard that one before. Though…I suppose I can understand what he's saying. Saren is just a…a tool being used, only to be thrown away once this is all over. In a real sense, he can't win.

"I can see where you're coming from, but what can we do, Ian?" I ask once I've thought about it. "Talk him out of it? I think we're doing him the biggest favor possible by killing him. Even better if we convince him to do it himself."

"It's the only way out for him," he sighs, shaking his head. "Fucked up."

"Not saying it isn't. But we need to stop him. You can't deny that."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not gonna sit back and let him win. I just feel bad for him being played like this."

"I wouldn't let Garrus or Jenny hear you say that," I say with a grin. He just laughs.

"I don't plan on it," he tells me. "Besides, I don't plan on talking about male turians while Garrus is around, he's territorial enough as it is." Now it's my turn to laugh.

"Well good." I lie back in the bed and sigh. "God, I still can't believe all this. This is so fucked up, but in the best way possible." Ian sighs too.

"Tell me about it. At least I'm not the poor bastard with the Prothean vision." Fuck, I almost forgot about the vision. Damn, I need to meld with Liara once I get out of here. As much as I really don't want to, I don't really have a choice. But enough of those thoughts. Ian's probably waiting for a response.

"Lemme tell ya, I almost crapped my pants when I woke up after that. I mean, seriously, is there a more important piece of canon that could be fucked up?"

"Shepard could be an elcor. That's worse."

…

"I think my mind is rebelling against that thought," I say, staring off into space. Seriously, my mind won't even let me picture something like that.

"Can't blame ya," he says with a small chuckle.

"So how about you? You ever manage to fuck up canon?" I ask.

"I've never tried anything myself, but I've spotted a few things with you." He rolls his eyes with a smile. "The rachni certainly changed, didn't they?"

"Oh yeah. And I'm pretty sure I know what they meant when they said you were different. Makes me wonder if they wanted to grab me too."

"Probably. At least that would've made it less scary." Then he shudders.

"Shit, sorry, bud," I say, realizing what I just said. "Didn't mean to make you think of that again."

"It's fine. I'm over it now, to be honest. They're actually quite a nice species."

"Could've fooled me," I snort. Then another canon fuck-up comes to mind, and I can't help but grin. "And how about Dr. Saleon?"

"Uh...yeah," he laughs. "That wasn't what I expected, at all. I know the guy was crazy, but I mean...damn."

"I still can't believe what happened with all that. Was there any cliché he didn't do?"

"Let me think." He stops, making a pretense of thinking. "No." For some reason, that makes me laugh.

"Oh man. There are probably canon fuck-ups we don't even know about." Now Ian laughs, too.

"I dunno if that's funny or just scary."

"I'd say both," I tell him. "Were there any other big one's you can remember?"

"Nothing springs to mind."

"Yeah, same here." After that, it gets quiet for a bit. I guess we're running out of things to talk about. I lean back and stare at the ceiling, sighing. "I wonder when the doc is gonna let us out of here."

"Soon, I hope. Garrus'll probably kill someone if she doesn't."

And of course as soon as he says this, the door whooshes open, and Garrus walks in.

"Speak of the devil," I mutter.

"What is taking so long in here?" Garrus asks, sounding somewhat ornery.

"Gunshot wounds," Ian deadpans. "They don't just get better, Garrus."

"That's not what I meant, Ian," he says, giving me what I can only describe as a glare. I sigh and try to meet his gaze. It's tougher than it sounds.

"Look, I'm sorry about earlier, Garrus," I tell him. "I was being a douche."

It looks like Garrus is gonna ignore my apology, but then he looks over at Ian. An entire unspoken conversation happens between them which I couldn't hope to comprehend. As far as I can tell, Ian wants Garrus to say something, but Garrus doesn't want to. Finally, though, Garrus sighs and looks back at me.

"I'm...sorry, too, Dylan. Just...don't do something like that again." Ok, not quite what I was expecting, but it's progress. I'll just stay out of his way for a while, let him simmer down.

"One big happy family again," Ian says, sarcasm fairly evident.

A family with a big secret. Things should get really interesting now.

* * *

Morning comes, and Dr. Chakwas lets Ian and me out. My legs are stiff from all the time lying on the bed, and my shoulder is still a bit sore, but apparently the wound is healed. The bullet didn't hit anything major, so once the doc got it out, medi-gel did the rest.

Unfortunately, now that Ian and I are out of the med bay, Jenny wants a debrief. Apparently she put it off until we were good to go. As much as I appreciate that, I know this is just gonna be Liara melding with me to see the vision; something I'm not really looking forward to.

Anywho, Ian and I head up to the comm. room for the debriefing. We walk into the room and take our seats around the table. The seat next to me is unoccupied, made all the worse by the fact that everyone's here. Luckily, Jenny speaks up before I can dwell on it further.

"Dylan, Ian, I'm glad to see you two are alright," she says, starting it off. "I wish we had more good news like that." She pauses and looks down. "As it is, we need to keep going. We've suffered a tragic loss, but that should only make our resolve stronger. We will stop Saren. For Ash."

A chorus of "For Ash" echoes around the table. I don't join in. I still can't bring myself to say her name out loud. I can barely _think_ it without a flash of sadness threatening to overtake me.

"We'll stop him," Jenny says, looking at me. I know that she's trying to make me feel better—and I appreciate it—but I just want to get this over with.

"I know," I say, sounding tired. "But first, we need to figure out where he's going." Even though I already know.

"The commander said that you encountered another beacon in Saren's lab," Liara says. "My guess is that it had information that the beacon on Eden Prime lacked. Perhaps I could help decipher it."

"Yeah, probably," I say. "Let's do this, then." Liara just nods and walks over to me.

"Embrace eternity!" Her eyes go black.

_And now I'm back in my mind. Good to see the doors are still here. I look around at the doors nearby, and I'm pretty sure that I'm standing right in front of the one that opens to the vision. Liara is standing right next to me, looking around, so I motion for her to enter the vision's door. She walks in, and I sit down next to the door. I really don't feel like seeing that again. A minute passes before everything goes white._

And now I'm back in the real world. Liara staggers back a bit, a look of shock all over her face.

"I…I never thought the images would be so…intense," she says slowly. "I need a moment to collect myself."

"I'm hoping you got something out of that," I tell her. "Because I sure didn't."

"It is a distress call, a message sent out across the Prothean Empire. A warning against the Reapers, but the warning came too late."

"Was there anything about the Conduit?" Jenny asks.

"There were other images. Locations. Places I recognized from my research." She pauses, looking thoughtful. "Ilos! The Conduit is on Ilos! That's why Saren needed the location of the Mu Relay! It is the only way to get to Ilos."

"Then we need to get to Ilos," Jenny says.

"Forget it," Tali, of all people, says. "The Mu Relay is in the Terminus Systems. Alliance ships aren't welcome there. Neither are Spectres."

"If the Conduit is on Ilos, that's where Saren is heading. I intend to be waiting for him when he shows up."

"Saren will have his entire fleet orbiting Ilos," Liara warns. "You will never make it to the surface without reinforcements. You must alert the Council. We need a fleet to—ohhh…" She stops, seeming to wilt a bit. "I am sorry. The joining is…exhausting. I should go to the med bay and lie down for a moment." Wow, I must be really good, bow chicka bow wow.

"Go ahead, Liara," Jenny says. "We're done here." With that, we get up from the table and walk out of the room.

In what has become a tradition after debriefs, I head on down to the mess hall to get some food. As a part of that tradition, Kaidan is the only one who comes down with me. It's really strange how that works, but I guess this was his usual hang out spot in the game. Not saying that he has to do what he did in the game, but it makes sense that he would probably be in here a lot.

I grab my food and take a seat at one of the tables. Kaidan, however, sits down about as far away from me as possible. Huh, that's weird. It's not like there's anyone else in here. Just me and him.

"What are you doing over there, Kaidan?" I ask. "Am I not good enough company?" I try to make it sound like a joke, but he just looks away. Huh, something's really eating at him. "What's the matter, Kaidan?"

"It's my fault, Dylan," he says, quietly. What the hell is he talking about? "You don't have to act nice. I know you probably don't want to be around me right now." I look at him in utter confusion.

"Kaidan, what the hell are you talking about?" That gets him to look at me, and he has the same confused look that I do. Then he gets a sort of pained look.

"I planted the bomb," he whispers. "It's my fault."

…

Oh god. I somehow manage to fight back the flood of emotions that comes after Kaidan's statement.

"Kaidan. Kaidan, look at me." He does, and he looks positively anguished. "Kaidan, what happened wasn't your fault, and I don't blame you for it in any way."

"But—"

"No buts," I tell him. "I was feeling the same way you are, but I've had quite a few people tell me that it wasn't my fault, and it damn sure isn't your fault. It's Saren's fault. And for that, we're gonna kick his ass."

He sits there in silence for a while, just staring at the table. Finally, he looks up, and the anguished look is gone, replaced with one of determination.

"You're right. Saren won't be able to hide. And Dylan, for what it's worth…I'm sorry. She was a good friend and a great soldier." God, why do people keep bringing this up? I just need time to process it on my own.

"Thanks, Kaidan," I say, not wanting to sound like a dick. "But right now, I just need to deal with it on my own."

"I understand, kid," he says. Then he gets up and heads toward the elevator. "I'll see you around." I just nod as he walks by.

Now I'm in the mess hall, alone with my thoughts. I wish someone else was here.

* * *

I spend the rest of the day in a sort of daze. Apparently we're headed to the Citadel to join the fleet that the Council is building. Well, I know damn well how that turns out. As it is, I spend a lot of time in my room listening to music and staring off into space. I've managed to recreate most of my music library since I've been here, and I've even added some new stuff. It's nice to see that rock hasn't died.

Most of my time, however, is spent listening to a single song: "So Far Away" by Avenged Sevenfold. It pretty much captures how I'm feeling right now.

_How do I live without the ones I love?_

_Time still turns the pages of the book it's burned._

_Place and time always on my mind,_

_And the light you left remains, but it's so hard to stay._

_When I have so much to say and you're so far away._

I've probably had that song on repeat for the last hour or so. It's around midnight, but I'm not really that tired. I am hungry, though, so I head out of the room, trying not wake up everyone else, and go to the mess hall.

I don't know whether or not to be surprised that Jenny's sitting at a table, nursing a cup of coffee. I probably shouldn't be.

"Hey, Jenny," I say, grabbing a snack and sitting down. "Still awake, I see." She snorts.

"Big surprise there," she says. "I'm surprised you're still awake."

"Didn't feel like sleeping," I tell her. Don't want to dream, either, but I leave that out.

"I know how you feel. The last few days haven't been so great."

"Aside from the big thing that I really don't want to talk about, how could the past few days be any worse?"

She sighs and looks down at her coffee. "I told you about my mom, right?" What does her mom…

Oh fuck.

I only nod, not trusting myself to speak. "The docs have given up. All they can do now is make it as painless as possible."

"Oh god, Jenny," I whisper. "I wish there was something I could say."

"It's…it's alright. I've had a while to come to terms with this, but it's still hard to hear." She sighs again. "Thanks for listening, Dylan. I think I'm gonna go to bed."

"Anytime, Jenny," I say. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." And she gets up and walks into her cabin. God damn it. Can't something go right for once? Can't she get just one piece of good news? But I know she won't. At least not from the Council. I sigh, and suddenly I'm not hungry anymore. With nothing else to do, I head back down to the room. Maybe I'll get some sleep.

I walk in the room and quietly sit on the bed. I still can't bring myself to go to sleep, so I just let my mind wander. As it has been wont to do lately, it wanders back to thoughts of Ash.

After a full day of being essentially alone with my thoughts, I…I think I've finally come to terms with this shit. I can't believe Ash's gone, but…I think the anger and frustration of it all is finally going away. All that's left now is sadness. I'm not sure if the sadness will ever _truly_ go away, but I can learn to deal with it. Sitting on my bed against the wall, I stare at the blank wall opposite me and let my mind wander some more, still trying to come to terms with it all. Suddenly, I'm hit with an inspiration so intense that I'm reaching for something to write with before I even know what I'm doing. Only after floundering around for a second do I remember that I have a writing program on my omni-tool. Opening it up, the rush of words that had suddenly entered my mind spills onto the virtual page.

_Through fields Elysian you walk along;_

I've always thought it interesting, and slightly ironic, that one of the human colonies—the one Jenny saved, no less—was named after the Greek version of heaven. So I suppose this line has two meanings now.

_In Folkvang or Valhalla you reside;_

I smile at that image. I can just see Ash sitting in Odin's or Freyja's hall, laughing it up with the other fallen warriors, waiting to get back into the fight.

_A Paradise is where you now belong;_

_You stand in Heaven now with God beside._

I don't think there's any doubt that she's up there with her dad and her god, reading "Ulysses" for all eternity. It's what she deserves.

_I sit here penning this with teary eye,_

And it's true; writing this has caused memories of Ash to flood my mind, only serving to accentuate the fact that she's not here anymore. It's getting a little hard to write, so I take a moment to close my eyes, letting the tears run their course. After a few minutes of silence, I can write again.

_But I will not let this destroy my life._

_As I told you that day so far gone by:_

_Don't mourn the dead: for grief cuts like a knife._

That's what I told her after Eden Prime when she was feeling guilty about her squad. I never thought I'd be using my own advice on the matter. It's an odd feeling of coming full circle. It almost feels right.

_Before your death, I may have loved you true,_

And it's true. I'm still not sure if what I was feeling was love…but I think it could have been.

_But now, alas, these feelings cannot grow._

Even if it was love, I'll never be able to find out.

_It's time to fight and cry and love anew._

_My love for you to someone else bestow._

…

That's it. I think I've finally hit it. I can't keep dwelling on what might have been. I have to find someone else. I think it's what Ash would have wanted. I give a small snort of remembrance. She'd probably tell me to get off my sorry ass and pull it together. Well that's what I'm gonna do. I just need the last two lines. I think I know what they should be: a final farewell to one of the greatest people I've ever had the pleasure to know.

_My soldier, fighter, joker, poet…friend,_

_Though feelings fade, our friendship has no end._

A final tear slides down my face, finally landing on my lap.

Goodbye, Ash. You'll always be a friend. I'll see you someplace better, wherever that may be.

**A/N: And there we go. We have the big reveal and Dylan learning to deal with Ash's death. Next up we'll have the shit on the Citadel. Depending on how long that takes, we could be starting Ilos in two chapters. Holy shit! This story is almost done! Well, probably another...ten chapters or so. Give or take.**

**I probably shouldn't have to say it, but I'll once again thank iNf3ctioNZ for writing Ian's dialogue in the beginning of this chapter. You know what, from now on, if there's a scene with Ian that involves more than a few lines of dialogue, you readers can assume that iNf3ctioNZ was involved. So thanks, big guy.**

**Anywho, I suppose that's it for now. Until next time, ladies and gents, ta ta!**


	31. The Die is Cast

**A/N: And I'm back. This chapter will see our intrepid heroes dealing with bastard politicians...among other things. Not much else to say, so enjoy!**

**The Die is Cast**

A shudder wakes me up. I groggily open my eyes and check the time on my omni-tool. Ugh, it's only 7:00. If I had to guess, I'd say that that jolt I felt was the Normandy docking with the Citadel. And if that's the case, I can go back to sleep. It's not like I'm needed for whatever we're doing.

"Would Lt. Alenko and Mr. Owens please report to the comm. room?" a voice says over the intercom. Double ugh. Though I didn't recognize that voice. It wasn't Joker or Jenny. Maybe it was a backup pilot? Do we have one of those? I guess Joker has to sleep sometime, which means that we probably do have another pilot. Whatever. I apparently need to get up now. So much for going back to sleep.

I quietly get up and exit the room. Like always, Garrus and Ian get to sleep in. Lucky bastards. But seriously, I hop in the elevator and head up to the crew deck. Do I have time to grab a bite to eat? Eh, I probably shouldn't. I head up the stairs and enter the comm. room to see Jenny and Kaidan waiting for me.

"Morning," I say, taking a seat. "I take it I'm needed?"

"It's nothing big," Jenny says. "Udina's scheduled a meeting with the Council, and I want you two there as well."

"Any particular reason you chose us?" I ask, letting my curiosity take over.

"Kaidan's my XO, and you have the vision from the beacon." I nod. That makes sense.

"So what will we need to do?" Kaidan asks.

"Probably nothing," she tells him with a shrug. "This is just gonna be the Council telling me that they're finally gonna do something about Saren." Oh Jenny. If only you knew. But I suppose this has to happen.

"When is the meeting?" I ask. I'm still hungry, so I'm hoping I have time to eat.

"It's in one hour. We leave the ship in half an hour."

"Awesome, so I can get breakfast." That earns smiles from the two Alliance officers.

"Yes, you can get breakfast. But I want both of you suited up at the airlock in a half hour."

"Yes ma'am," I say, getting up and giving a playful salute before walking out. Thank god I can get some food. Surprisingly, when I enter the mess hall, Ian's in there. Just him. I'm kinda surprised Garrus isn't with him, though I'm also kinda glad. After some thought yesterday, I realized that I forgot to tell him about Arrival. I should probably do that.

I grab a plate and sit across from my fellow dimension-hopper. "Morning, big guy. I'm surprised to see you awake."

He snorts. "Yeah, well you can thank the intercom for that. Damn thing woke me, and I couldn't get back to sleep. What was that about, anyway?"

"Apparently Kaidan and I are going with Jenny to visit the Council." He makes a rude noise. "My thoughts exactly."

"It sucks that they have to be royal arseholes," he says. "They could make our job so much easier."

"Yeah, but you know how it has to go," I tell him. And yes, I did make sure that we're alone. I'm not stupid.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Yeah, pretty much." We fall silent, and I start digging into my food. I don't really have that much time. Though, I might not have a better time to tell Ian about Arrival for a while. I probably should.

"So I forgot to mention something kind of big yesterday when we were having our little heart to heart," I say.

"That doesn't sound promising," Ian says, looking up from his own food.

"Oh, no, nothing bad. Just a DLC I forgot to mention."

"Ok. So what was it?"

"It was called Arrival, and it was the bridge between Mass Effect 2 and 3."

"That sounds pretty ominous," he says. "Don't tell me that title was literal."

"It almost was," I explain. "If I break it down to its simplest form, you postpone the Reapers' arrival. Because the Citadel Relay never gets opened, the Reapers have to enter from dark space using normal FTL travel. There's a relay in a batarian system at the far edge of the galaxy which would give them access to the rest of the relay network and, consequentially, the rest of the galaxy."

"Shit. That sounds heavy."

"Oh, it gets better. It turns out that some Alliance scientists have found a Reaper artifact in the system. It counts down to the moment of arrival. To postpone it, the scientists get a crazy idea." I pause, for dramatic effect more than anything. "They're gonna destroy the relay." Ian's jaw drops. "Yeah, pretty much. Too bad they get indoctrinated."

"Of course they do," he mutters. I grin.

"So it's up to you to restart the project while fighting through the indoctrinated scientists. When you succeed, you escape through the relay before the asteroid hits it."

"Wait, what's this about an asteroid?"

"That's how you destroy the relay," I say. "The resulting explosion annihilates the system, killing around 300,000 batarians. Shit hits the political fan, and Admiral Hackett tells you that you need to get back to Earth for a trial. And apparently that's how the three was gonna start: with the trial on Earth."

Ian just sits there for a while, taking all that in. I take that time to get back to my food. I check my omni-tool and see that I have fifteen minutes before I need to be at the airlock, and I need to get suited up first. I may need to cut this short.

"As fun as this was, I need to get going," I say, getting up from the table. He's still just sitting there. "Don't worry, that was the last DLC, so no more surprises." He shakes himself out of his stupor long enough to say bye.

Fifteen minutes later, Jenny, Kaidan, and I are exiting the Normandy, ready to face the Council. This is gonna suck.

* * *

This is my second trip to the Citadel Tower, and it's just as impressive as the first time. I remember Ash saying that for all its beauty, this tower was built to be an excellent defensible position. The multiple staircases ensure that any attacker is attacking uphill. And that's gonna suck when we have to storm this thing in the next few days.

The Councilors are standing in their usual spot, across the gap from everyone else. Trying to create distance, superiority. And in a practical sense, it makes it slightly harder for someone to assassinate them. But only slightly. Sniper rifles are a wonderful thing.

Jenny walks up to the podium, thing, next to Udina.

"Good job, Shepard," the ambassador says. "Thanks to you, the Council's finally taking real action against Saren."

"The ambassador is correct," the asari Councilor says. "If Saren is foolish enough to attack the Citadel—as you believe—we will be ready for him."

"Patrols are stationed at every mass relay linking Citadel Space to the Terminus Systems," the turian Councilor explains. Even though I can't see Jenny's face, I can see the disbelief in her stance and posture.

"That's it?" she asks. "You think a blockade can stop him? He's on Ilos right now looking for the Conduit! What are you doing about that?"

This time the salarian Councilor speaks up. I swear, it's like they plan who speaks when. "Ilos is only accessible through the Mu Relay," he says, sounding almost condescending. "That is in the heart of the Terminus Systems. If we send a fleet there, the only possible outcome is total war."

"Now is the time for discretion, Commander," Udina says, turning to face Jenny. "Saren's greatest weapon was secrecy. Exposed, he is no longer a threat. This is over." Fucking bastard.

"You don't have to send a fleet," Jenny says, looking back at the Councilors. "A single ship won't start a war, especially if they never detect it."

"That is a risk we simply cannot take," the asari Councilor says. Cowards.

"If Saren finds the Conduit, we're all screwed!" Jenny yells. "We have to get to Ilos!"

"Ambassador Udina, I get the sense that Commander Shepard isn't willing to let this go," the turian Councilor says. I'm not surprised that he's the one to say something like that.

"There are serious political implications here, Shepard," Udina says. "Humanity's made great gains thanks to you. But now you're becoming more than you're worth."

"You bastard!" Kaidan yells. "You're selling us out!"

"I knew we shouldn't trust this ass hat," I say to the lieutenant.

"It's just politics, Commander," the ambassador says, calmly. "You've done your job, now let me do mine. We've locked out all the Normandy's primary systems. Until further notice, you're grounded." There's a sort of stunned silence for a few seconds before Jenny breaks it.

"I won't forget this, Udina. You've made an enemy." Then she turns and walks away. Kaidan and I share a look and follow her.

I'm glad to be done with those bastards.

* * *

An hour later, I exit the Normandy's elevator. After we got back from the Council meeting, news spread quickly. Now there's an air of general melancholy about the whole ship. I think Jenny and Joker are taking it the hardest. Jenny for the obvious reason of being betrayed, and Joker because he's been grounded. That's the only thing that I know of that can get Joker down.

Anywho, I walk into the mess hall to see if anyone is around. I see Jenny sitting on the ground, leaning against her locker with a far off look. Oh yeah, this is the part where the love interest comes up and talks to her, they almost share a kiss, and Joker interrupts. But no one is here. What happens if there's no love interest? I never had a playthrough where I didn't romance anyone…at least none that I can remember. Well I can't just let her sit there depressed. I walk over to her.

"Hey, Jenny," I say. She give a small shake of her head—probably waking herself from whatever she was thinking about—and looks up at me.

"Hey, Dylan," she says quietly, looking down as she says it. Damn, that's not so great. Not wanting to stand over her while she's feeling down, I plop myself down next to her.

"It sucks, doesn't it? We walk in, expecting help, and we get the boot instead."

"I don't care about that, though. It's the fact that they refuse to do anything about Saren. If they don't act, we're dead."

"Well who says we have to let them act?" I ask, looking over at her. "I'm sure there's something we can do."

"What can we do?" she asks in response, sounding dejected. "I tried convincing them to reverse the decision, and they wouldn't budge."

"So that's it? You're done?" I pause, catching her eye. "You're better than that, Jenny. I've seen you do the impossible before. I know you won't let some bastard politicians stop you."

"I never said I was giving up," she says with a small smile. "But we're out of the game for now. Trust me, if I find a way back in, I'm taking it." I smile back. There's the determination I was looking for.

"I believe in you, Jenny," I tell her. "If there's anyone in this galaxy who can pull this off, it's you, and I'm with you every step of the way." I stand up and turn to her, offering a hand. "Now get up off the floor. You can't find a way back in the game sitting down." I grin.

She smiles back and takes my hand. I haul her off the ground, and she gets to her feet, standing right in front of me.

"Thanks, Dylan," she says. "I needed a good kick to get started."

"Anytime."

"Commander, I've got a message from Captain Anderson," Joker suddenly says over the intercom. Jenny looks up to where one of the speakers is on the ceiling.

"Go ahead, Joker."

"The captain said to meet him at Flux, that club in the wards. It sounded important."

"Sounds like you should get moving," I say with a smile.

"Just go grab Kaidan," she says, returning the smile. "You two are coming with me."

"Aye aye, ma'am."

* * *

"Let's go! Get us out of here, Joker! Now!"

And with that, we have officially stolen the Normandy. After our talk with Anderson—in which we convinced him to punch out Udina—Jenny, Kaidan, and I rushed back to the Normandy. Fifteen minutes later, the board went green, and we sealed our fate.

Now I'm sitting in my room, alone with my thoughts. According to Joker, this is a fourteen hour trip. I've managed to waste four of those hours. To think, we're ten hours away from the mission that can seal the fate of the galaxy. That's just…I don't even know what to think about that. It's almost too big to comprehend. Suddenly the door opens, and Ian walks in.

"Hey, Ian," I say, looking up. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing much, just getting ready to go through the Mu Relay and stop Sovereign destroying and enslaving the entire galaxy," he shrugs. "You?"

"Pretty much the same," I say with a chuckle. Good to see his wit is sharp as ever. "Also just thinking, letting my mind wander."

"Same. Well, that and waiting to go and see Garrus." I can't help but smile. It's nice to hear that some people are going to enjoy the trip.

"Sounds like some fun about to happen." I pause then suddenly smirk at him. "You want me to leave?"

"Kinda. Maybe. I don't know." He starts wringing his hands, and his whole posture is slightly…worried.

"What's the matter, big guy?" I ask. "Worried?" He nods, kind of chuckling.

"Yeah, you could say that."

"What's there to be worried about? You two have been pretty open with each other."

"I know. It's just...well, there's the whole 'he's a turian' thing, and the logistics of that, but..." He starts to mumble there at the end, getting quieter the whole time. I know he wanted to say more, and I'm curious as to what it is.

"But…?"

"Well, I don't really care about that stuff," he says, letting it come out in a rush. "I just haven't been completely open with him. And I need your help with that."

What is he talking about? I can't think of any couple that could be more open with each other. I mean, they've been living with each other for two years before admitting to a relationship. What could he possibly…

Oh. Well then. "Wait, you want to tell him about...well, you know...that?" I ask, giving him an incredulous look. He gives an apologetic smile.

"I have to tell him, Dylan."

"You don't _have_ to tell him anything!" I say, slightly miffed. He really wants to tell Garrus about our origins? What the hell? And he has the gall to do this after only two days of knowing about us? "Listen, I can understand wanting to be open with him, but this is my secret, too."

"Look, I trust Garrus more than anyone else in the world. I know you two have your differences, but if there's anyone who can understand this, it's him." He pauses and looks me dead in the eye. "And I can't lose him over hiding this. I need to be honest."

"Ian, you know I love Garrus...ok, well not like you do, but the principle is the same. But I don't know if I'm comfortable with him knowing." Besides, Garrus hasn't been that warm to me the past few days. Not since I insulted Ian in the med bay.

"What harm can it do? Really? Besides, if he knows, that's one extra person who can help us. One person we know we can rely on." One more person he can rely on, anyway. But…of all the squad, I think the only person I'd trust more than Garrus is Jenny.

"It's not that I don't trust him," I say, "it's just that...that..."

"I can't force you to help me," he cuts me off with a serious look. "But I'm telling him about me regardless. If you want to help, be my guest. If you're gonna keep him in the dark, then we'll need the room. And you can have fun trying to deal with this stuff alone."

Is there any way I can win this? If I don't agree, I've just alienated the only other person who knows what I'm going through. If I do agree, I have to trust another person with my secret. And it's not that I don't trust Garrus…it's just that…fuck, even _I_ can't convince myself about it. I let out a reserved sigh.

"Fuck. Fine, I'll help," I say. That earns a smile from Ian. "But I want the records to show that I'm not 100% about this. I trust you, though."

"That's good enough for me," he says with another nervous smile. "I mainly want someone to stop him gutting me if this goes wrong." I sigh again, but it's exaggerated, and the smile sort speaks for itself.

"Of course you do. I swear, with as much as I've played the tank during missions, I should have medium armor. Especially if I'm about to face a possibly enraged turian."

"I'm sure this can only end in success." He looks down at his omni-tool. "I said I'd meet him about now, actually, so—"

On cue, the door opens, and Garrus walks in. He smiles at Ian, but that smile disappears when he sees me. "Hey, Ian. You said you wanted to talk about something?" He gives me a pointed look, probably trying to get me to leave.

"He needs to be here for this, Garrus," Ian says, sighing. "It's about both of us, not just me." That makes Garrus look confused.

"Ok...that's a bit odd, but I'll go with it for now."

"I...well, we, have something to tell you." He shuffles around, looking really uncomfortable, and he can't seem to meet Garrus' eyes. "You remember how I kinda just turned up at C-Sec out of the blue? Never visited the department before I got the job, just bam, one interview and I'm in?" Ok, interesting approach, but I can see where he's going with this. Garrus' confusion only grows.

"Yeah...I never really thought about it," the turian says. "You applied, and the Council was calling for a human detective. You had the best record."

"Well…" he trails off, but he manages to meet Garrus' eyes. He takes one of his talons in hand. "Fuck, how do I explain this...the main reason I turned up so suddenly was cos it was my first time on the Citadel. In the literal sense anyway." Again, he sort of trails off. Now the Brit looks at me. "Is easing into this working?"

"I can't really tell," I tell him. Then I sigh. I think I know what's about to happen. "Let me guess, you want me to rip the band-aid?" Garrus is still probably wondering what the hell is going on.

"Yeah," he nods. "Rip that, uh, thing." Well, here goes nothing. I look over at Garrus.

"What he's trying to say is that we're not from here. And by 'here' I mean this universe." Wow, if this wasn't such a serious situation, I'd be taking a picture. Garrus has this look of complete surprise. His mouth opens and closes, but no words come out. Before he can, Ian speaks up.

"That pretty much nails it on the head. Another universe." He wrings his hands, just like earlier. I can't imagine what he's feeling inside right now. "So...do you want to say something?"

"I...I...What? That doesn't make any sense." It doesn't make sense to me, either, but I've learned to (mostly) deal with it.

"Actually, when you take the fact that this was all a video game in our reality, and we got brought here by Death, well...in relative terms, it's quite sensible," Ian says, trying to inject some humor into this mess.

"I...you..." Garrus stops and goes to sit on the bed, shaking his head. "That all sounds like complete nonsense!"

"Funnily enough, Garrus, that did cross my mind," Ian says, going to sit next to the turian. He tentatively touches Garrus' arm. "But you know me. I wouldn't lie to you, Garrus. And if you need proof..." Now he looks over at me. "You got anything that backs us up?"

"Uhh..." Oh shit. Way to put me on the spot. Great. So what do I know about Garrus that I shouldn't? Hell, what do I know that _Ian_ shouldn't know about? The Shadow Broker base comes to mind. This is gonna be sort of a dick move bringing this up, but it should get his attention.

"How's your mother's illness, Garrus?" A stunned silence follows my question. I don't think I've ever seen turian mandibles extend that wide.

"How in sprirts' name did you know about that?"

"Didn't Ian just explain this?"

"Yeah," Ian says. "Look, I know you're probably feeling hurt, betrayed...but I didn't want to scare you by telling you this. Or screw anything up. The main reason we're even having this conversation is because of how risky Ilos is..." He tries to run a thumb along one of Garrus' mandibles. Garrus pushes his hand away.

"So I'm just supposed to believe all this?" Garrus asks, sounding pretty angry. "And accept the fact that you've been lying to me for two years?"

Ian pulls his hand back, cradling it like he's been injured. "I guess, when you put it that way...yes." He somehow manages to meet Garrus' eyes.

"Why, Ian? Why two years?"

"Because...I was scared. About telling people. I mean, as far as I know, there's an order to things in this universe. Tampering with that orders could fuck things up. Bad. Really, really bad. And it was...I dunno. Easier to not having it prey on other people's minds."

"And you're telling me that he's the same way?" Garrus asks, gesturing to me.

"I'm standing right here, you know," I say. "And yes. Though I've only been here since Eden Prime." Garrus looks back to Ian.

"And you told _him_ before me?" Ian holds his hands up, looking surprised at the accusation.

"Hey, he accidentally admitted it to me."

"Yeah, I told him in a surge of emotion," I say. "So don't get mad at Ian for that."

"I know two years is a long time," Ian says, going back to the previous topic. "A long, long time. But you've got to understand my position, Garrus. I thought this was only supposed to be a game."

"So this is just a game to you?" Garrus asks, sounding incredibly hurt. "Everything we've been through? Even..." He closes his eyes, looking away.

"No!" Ian nearly yells, trying to lean closer. "This isn't a game; it stopped being a game to me two years ago!" He stops and tries to calm down. "Everything we've been through was real. Even us. No, actually, especially us."

"After this, how can I believe you?"

…

Dafuq?

"He's right, Garrus. It all becomes real very quickly," I tell him. Then I pause and think of something. The thought kinda pisses me off. "Or are you gonna try to tell me that I didn't really love Ash?"

"I hid the truth about this from you," Ian says, not letting Garrus answer my question. Probably for the best. "But nothing else was a lie." He tries laying a hand on Garrus' talon. Garrus doesn't move this time. "I have feelings for you. Real feelings. Where I'm from doesn't change that."

"I just...I don't know what to think right now," Garrus says. He sounds…tired. Almost drained. "You lied to me for two years...but you did it because you thought you had to." He pauses and seems to think of something. "And you made the choice to tell me." That sounds promising. I hope.

"Garrus, if you don't think you can trust me...I get it, alright?" Ian says, trying to chuckle. He sounds close to tears. "Though you're gonna be condemning Dylan to dealing with me breaking down when you leave."

"I...I need time to think about all this s'kak." He gets up. "Alone." And he walks out of the room.

…

I just start looking between where Ian's sitting and the door, absolutely shocked. I can't believe Garrus just walked out. Ian's just sitting on the bed despondently, one hand still resting where Garrus was. The tears are forming.

"Shit, that's not how it was supposed to go," I mutter to myself. Then I look back at Ian. The poor guy needs me right now, so I go sit next to him on the bed. "Don't worry, big guy. He said he needed to think. There's still hope."

"I know what he said," he mutters, staring at the ground. "He can't trust me."

"Now's not the time to think like that, Ian. I'm sure Garrus will see that you had valid reasons. This isn't the end."

"Sure, he might understand," he shrugs, "but I think romantically, the recovery's fucked." What should have been a laugh comes out as a small, broken sob. "A gay human/turian was probably just weirding everyone out anyway."

How the hell do I deal with this? I've _never_ been good at condolences.

"Come on, big guy; don't say shit like that," I tell him. "There's always hope."

"Wish I had it then," he says, his voice nearly breaking. "Look...Ilos is coming up. I think I'm just going to try getting some sleep. You should go make sure you've got everything ready."

Do I leave? Would it be right to leave? I don't really think it would be best for him to be alone…but I don't know what else to do. I don't think there's anything I _can_ do. Maybe he _needs_ to be alone right now.

"Ok. Just…don't do anything stupid, Ian," I say, getting up and walking towards the door. I stop before I leave and look back. "I'm so sorry, big guy." I exit the room, the door closing tight behind me.

That doesn't stop me from hearing the sobs.

**A/N: Damn. Heavy stuff. That sure as hell didn't go as expected.**

**So next chapter is gonna be a sort of...bonus chapter. Maybe that's not the right term, but it's the closest I can think of. Whatever I choose to call it, I think you guys and gals will really like it. I'm gonna try my best to get that chapter out before Mass Effect 3 comes out because if I don't, you readers will be waiting a while. But most of y'all will have Mass Effect 3, too, so you probably wouldn't care. Still, I'll try to get the chapter out.**

**Anywho, I suppose that's it for now. Until next time, folks, ta ta!**


	32. The Calm Before the Storm

**A/N: Well here's that bonus-thing chapter. I still don't think that's the right word, but it'll do. This is also my longest chapter to date, and for good reason, as you guys and gals will soon find out. Enjoy!**

**The Calm Before the Storm**

Well what the hell do I do now? I have another nine hours to kill before Ilos, and after that shit with Garrus, I probably won't be sleeping in my bed anytime soon. There's no real point in me staying down here, so I walk over to the elevator. I press the button and rest my forehead on the wall, waiting for the thing to come.

I just can't believe that actually happened. I honestly thought that Garrus would be able to look past Ian keeping it secret and see his reasoning. I sure as hell didn't expect him to walk out like that. And poor Ian. God, I can't imagine what he's feeling right now.

The elevator opens, and I enter, deciding to head up to the mess hall. If I'm gonna be awake, I might as well be eating... Don't look at me like that.

I walk into the mess hall and see a now familiar sight: Jenny nursing a cup of coffee. I sigh. She really does have trouble sleeping, doesn't she?

"Hey, Jenny," I say, deciding to just sit down, skipping the food.

"I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only one on this ship with insomnia," she says, looking up and giving me a small smile.

"It's kinda hard to sleep when you can't get in your room."

"And why, exactly, can't you get into your room?"

"Ian and Garrus are having a little…discussion," I say, wanting to tell the truth, but knowing I can't. This is as close as I can get. Let's get the conversation away from them. "It kinda makes me wonder what everyone else is doing, knowing that they may only have a few hours left."

* * *

Urdnot Wrex leans against his usual crates in the cargo deck. There are nine hours left until the Normandy reaches Ilos, and Wrex knows he's probably in for one of the best fights he's ever seen. His façade never wavers, but inside, some strange thoughts are creeping in.

Wrex has been around longer than most of his kind. Well over 1000 years old, he's seen more of this crazy galaxy than most people can imagine. Centuries of mercenary work have taught him how to survive and, more importantly, succeed. He knows who he's working with, and he has no doubt that Shepard can—and will—defeat Saren.

But what of the future? Wrex has never been one for idle speculation. A mercenary learns to live in the present, to ignore the pains of the past and the unknown of the future. But the question lingers over him. What could he possibly do that is more important than what he's doing now? After saving the galaxy, mercenary work seems…beneath him. After serving with Shepard, could any other employer possibly hope to gain anything other than Wrex's contempt?

Granted, that's what most of his employers got, but the premise remains. What's left to do after he's saved the galaxy from sure destruction?

Memories that Wrex would rather see die start to surface. _Rubble all around him. The graves of countless krogan in every direction: the Hollows. An older krogan stands in front of him with a deep scowl that seems to be a permanent feature of his face._

Wrex growls quietly, shaking his head. Those memories died on that day. He gave Tuchanka its chance, and it failed. Those morons can only understand violence. They can't understand what the krogan need to survive. But Wrex knows. He knows that his race is doomed to failure…unless something drastic happens.

"_Wrex," the older krogan says, stopping a few paces away. He appears to be alone, but Wrex knows better._

"_Jarrod," Wrex says. "Care to tell me why you called for a Crush?"_

"_I'm trying to get you to see the truth, boy."_

But Wrex already knew the truth. With the genophage firmly entrenched in the krogan biology, he knows that warfare will only lead to their extinction. The only way to save his species is through dedicated breeding. No more useless death.

"_I already know the truth, old man," Wrex says calmly._

"_You know nothing, whelp! We are krogan! We fight, or we die."_

"_Well then we're going to die. You'll kill our race if you insist on this stupid war."_

And so far, Wrex has been right. For over three centuries, the krogan have been fighting themselves to extinction. He knows it, the Council knows it, hell, even Shepard knows it. It seems like the only ones who don't are his own people.

"_I've told you before, Wrex," Jarrod says, getting angrier with every sentence. "Don't fight this." Wrex just smirks._

"_You said it before, Jarrod. We're krogan. We fight, or we die."_

The old bastard was tough. Wrex runs his hand down the right side of his face, feeling the scar and remembering the fight. Wrex had known that the old man had his cronies hiding around. He just wasn't expecting them to actually attack. Wrex's own men managed to hold their ground, leaving Wrex free to deal with his traitorous father.

In the end, Jarrod simply couldn't keep up. But that didn't stop him from getting a good swipe of his claws down the side of Wrex's face. On the very edge of blood-rage, Wrex managed to plunge his knife deep into his father's chest, impaling both hearts in the process. Jarrod died, and Wrex's hope for Tuchanka died with him.

But was that really the end? On Virmire, Wrex felt something he hadn't in centuries: hope. Hope for the krogan. Even though the cure had to be destroyed, the feeling of hope somehow stayed strong. Maybe…maybe Tuchanka deserves one last chance.

Wrex knows the truth, and maybe the rest of the krogan are finally willing to listen.

* * *

Liara T'Soni sits at her desk. There are nine hours until Ilos. She is alone, but she does not mind the solitude. Decades of archeological digs have made her accustomed to being alone. If anything, the past few weeks spent on the Normandy have been more frightening than any time spent alone on a dig. At most, there would be ten others on a given expedition, and Liara could always sequester herself away from the others at any time. Here on the Normandy, her room was her only bastion of solitude.

She tries her best to feel like part of the team, but it can be…difficult. So many social nuances are lost on her, even more so because this is a human ship. Still, she perseveres. Liara always eats at least one meal in the mess hall with the others, trying to integrate herself.

She particularly enjoys the discussions with Dylan and talking about asari culture with Shepard. Liara never passes up an opportunity to learn new things, and both humans have been wellsprings of information that Liara could have only dreamed of.

It is strange. Before coming onboard the Normandy, Liara had not thought much of humans. She knew very little of them before being rescued by the Commander. Her knowledge was limited to what most everyone knew about them: they were individualistic, ambitious, and arrogant. Before Therum, she had thought of these as bad traits. After nearly a month on the Normandy, she knows otherwise.

Humans are certainly individualistic, but that detracts nothing from their relationship with others. If anything, their individuality makes relationships stronger. Humanity's ambition is also nothing to take lightly. While many see it as a complete disregard of tradition, Liara has learned to see it for what it is: an insatiable drive to improve. This also led to the view that all humans are arrogant. Well, Liara has seen nothing to support that. The humans she has met, who all have reason to be arrogant, have no need for arrogance. They don't need to prove anything.

What's wrong with me, Liara thinks. Why does she have this sudden, burning interest in humans? She's barely over 100 years old: much too young to be thinking of these things.

She sighs. If only Benezia were here. While Liara would be the first to admit that her mother could be…distant, Benezia was still her mother. She could help Liara think through this. But Benezia made her choice. She chose Saren, and in the end, she paid for her choice.

Liara shuts down. She cannot think about that right now. It's too soon.

Sleep. That is what she needs. She lies down and lets sleep's gentle embrace take her.

* * *

Ian Shaw lies in his bed, red eyed and exhausted. There are eight hours until Ilos, and it's been two hours since Garrus walked out of his life.

Garrus Vakarian stands outside the room, eyeing the locked door with extreme trepidation. There are eight hours until Ilos, and it's been two hours since he made the biggest mistake of his life.

Taking a deep breath, Garrus walks up to the door. He hesitates for a fraction of a second before steeling his nerves and knocking on the door. "Ian? Are you in there?"

Inside the room, Ian's heart nearly stops, and his eyes would be watering if he had any tears left. Not trusting himself to answer, Ian stays silent.

Garrus isn't deterred. He knows this conversation needs to happen. "Ian? If...if you're in there, I think we need to talk."

"I need to go to sleep, Garrus," Ian says, trying to keep his voice level. It's hard—oh so hard—and he knows he'll lose it if he talks too much. "I'll see you when we get to Ilos." Please, he thinks, just leave me alone. I can't handle this.

Meanwhile, Garrus feels his heart clench at Ian's reply, but it only makes his resolve stronger. This conversation needs to happen. "This is important, Ian," he says, somehow keeping his own voice level. "I don't think it can wait."

"Garrus, please don't make this harder than this already is for me." Can't he see that this is ripping me apart, Ian thinks.

"I'm trying to make this better, Ian. Please, give me a chance."

Something in Garrus' voice strikes a chord in Ian. Listening past the deceptively calm voice, Ian can hear…something. He's unsure, but…that tone. Ian opens the door and lets Garrus in. Neither can make eye contact.

"What."

Garrus just stands there, surprised that Ian even let him in. He's unsure of what to say, but he knows that he needs to say _something_. This is his only chance.

"Ian, I just...I need to..." He stops and sighs. This is harder than he thought. "I'm sorry, Ian." For the first time since he walked out two hours ago, Garrus looks at Ian. He's shocked at what he sees. The eyes stand out. He's certain they shouldn't be red like that.

"Well, for what it's worth, so am I," Ian says after a lengthy silence. "Thanks for apologizing. Now, I still need sleep, so..."

"No, stop. I...I know I hurt you, Ian, and...seeing you right now..." Garrus stops again. How can he say this? How can he make Ian understand? "I realize just how important you are to me."

"That's why you walked out?" Ian asks, still avoiding eye contact. The pain in his voice hits Garrus hard. "The one person in the whole galaxy I trusted enough to tell my secret?"

"It took me until now to realize just how much trust that took. I'm sorry I didn't see that sooner. If...if you want me to leave..." Garrus almost can't bring himself to say the words, but he knows he has to. "I will."

Ian slowly looks up and catches Garrus' eyes. This is the first time they've had eye contact since Garrus walked out. Ian is surprised to see changes in Garrus. His shoulders are slumped, betraying a deep-seeded tiredness that almost matches Ian's. Some of the color is gone from his crest, making him look unusually pale. It's not a sight Ian was expecting. At the same time, he also knows what Garrus must be seeing.

"If I'd ever wanted you to leave, do you think I'd be like this?"

The words cut Garrus like a knife. In Garrus' mind, he hears the unspoken comment that went with Ian's reply: _You're the reason I'm feeling like this._

"Ian...I am so sorry."

"I know," Ian sighs, going to sit on the bed. "Doesn't change the fact you can't trust me." He looks up at Garrus, and the turian sees genuine regret in those eyes. "I'm really sorry I held it back. I should've just told you at C-Sec..."

Garrus quickly goes over to sit next to Ian. "Ian, stop. Don't say that. I...can understand why you kept it a secret. And the fact that you chose to tell me shows more trust than I can imagine. I don't care anymore that you kept it from me. I've always trusted you, Ian."

He always trusted me? Ian thinks. Even with everything I kept hidden from him? Ian sniffles and closes his eyes, hoping that he can hold back the tears that threaten to well up.

"I've always trusted you too," he says, looking back at Garrus. "It's just...I mean, we only admitted feelings recently, and then this happens, and..." Before he realizes what's going on, Garrus wraps his arms around Ian and pulls him into a hug.

"I love you, Ian. And _nothing_ can change that."

Ian, at a complete loss for words, simply hugs back, burying his head into Garrus' softer neck plating. Despite the relative softness of the plates, there's an…intriguing roughness to it. But it's not…bad. In fact, Ian could get used to this.

Meanwhile, Garrus is trying to tone down the surge of protectiveness that suddenly flows through him. Humans are so damn…fragile, both physically and emotionally. And Garrus nearly broke him. Well he knows better now. He'll never allow himself to hurt Ian again if he can help it. Garrus would rather die than hurt Ian like this again.

Both Ian and Garrus feel the tears that Ian leaves behind when he pulls back.

"You...love me?" he asks, staring up into the turian's eyes. Garrus meets his look, and Ian can almost feel those beautiful, predatory eyes looking into the depths of his soul. And Ian can see right into Garrus'.

"I love you. Nothing else matters. It took nearly losing you to realize that, amatrus. Besides, I've had two years to figure this out."

"Garrus…I…" Ian trails off, instead choosing to stroke Garrus' mandible slowly. "I guess this kind of ruins the moment...but what's an amatrus?" Garrus' look softens, and his mandibles widen slightly in a smile.

"It means my beloved. And it's true."

"I think I love you too," Ian says, letting a smile touch his face for the first time in over two hours. "I mean, I wouldn't get this worked up otherwise, right?" Garrus' smile stays in place, and he draws Ian into another hug, this one much more gentle and loving.

"Probably not," Garrus says. After that, he falls silent, feeling perfectly content at having Ian in his arms. For a few minutes, no words are spoken. Both of them are completely at ease for the first time in two hours. Finally, Garrus lets go and leans back, looking at Ian. "So…"

"I guess this means we're back together?" Oh how Garrus had missed that smile. He can also hear the darkness leaving Ian's voice.

"I guess so, amatrus. I'm so sorry I put you through all that."

"It's over. You don't have to apologize," Ian says. This time, he catches Garrus by surprise by leaning in for a forehead touch. "You're okay with my origins?"

"It'll take some getting used to, but like I said, nothing else matters," Garrus says, meaning every word. "I love you for who you are, different universe or not."

"Thanks." He snakes a hand around Garrus' neck, rubbing lightly behind his fringe. "Well, I guess the trip to Ilos is gonna be a bit less miserable now."

"I always aim to please," the turian replies with a warm smile. Ian can't help but chuckle.

"And here come the stupid romantic lines. Nice to have you back."

"Come on, that wasn't that bad." Now it's Garrus' turn to chuckle. "And I'm glad to see you're still as sarcastic as ever."

"Amatrus or not, that ain't changing." Ian's hand, which had been gently rubbing the base of Garrus' neck, now moves up to slowly stroke the tip of Garrus' fringe. "You don't mind that, do you?" he asks, suddenly sounding unsure.

Garrus closes his eyes, a purr escaping his throat. "Not at all," he finally manages to say. Now if only Garrus knew what felt good for a human. Knowing that he should do _something_ to reciprocate the good feelings, he starts to fumble around with his talons. Before long, he simply starts running a talon up and down Ian's back. "And how's this?"

Ian presses himself closer to Garrus and smiles before answering. "That's nice. Maybe you should give me a run-down on turian romance, huh?"

"Well, you've made a good start with the fringe," Garrus says, purring again. "Lightly rubbing the spurs feels very good, too. There's also a fair amount of...um...biting."

As soon as he mentioned rubbing the spurs, Ian hooked one ankle around Garrus' right spur and starts slowly moving his ankle up and down. But the thing about biting is…new.

"Biting? Why?"

Before Garrus can answer, he lets out yet another purr at the spur rub. Bless the spirits for giving him Ian. If only it wasn't so awkward to talk about this with other species.

"Well, it started as a way to...well...mark territory. A turian gives his mate his mark to let everyone else know that he's taken."

"Garrus..." Ian grins shyly. "Are you hinting at something?"

"Are you telling me humans _don't_ bite?" Garrus asks, filling his voice with mock shock.

"We kiss. Press our lips together, let our tongues into each other's mouths, that kind of thing."

"Really? You let your tongues into each other's mouths? And I think all of that would be somewhat difficult if one side doesn't have lips."

"Oh, I don't know," Ian smiles. "We could try."

Before Garrus can do anything, Ian leans in and presses his lips against Garrus' mouth plates. Garrus is taken off guard and tenses up, but as Ian slowly starts to rub his fringe, Garrus starts to relax. It's all so odd, he thinks. On the other hand…he never would have guessed how soft Ian's lips are. Or that they would feel this nice.

Meanwhile, Ian is marveling at the texture of Garrus' mouth plates. Just like the plates around his neck, they're softer than the main body plates, but they still have that same roughness. Again, he's surprised at how pleasant it actually feels.

Finally, after nearly thirty seconds, Ian breaks off the kiss. "That work for you?" he asks, smiling.

"It was...different. But...nice," Garrus says, still sounding slightly surprised that that happened. Suddenly he grins. "Now I think it's my turn."

Just like Ian's kiss, Garrus move faster than Ian can react. The turian leans down and slowly—ever so slowly—scrapes his teeth across the side of Ian's neck. At the feeling of teeth on his neck, Ian's first reaction is to tense up. He gasps slightly and presses up against Garrus.

You're fine, Ian, he thinks. This is Garrus, remember? He loves you; you love him. This is him showing his affection. Just relax.

Garrus had stopped the instant Ian tensed up. Oh spirits, he thinks, he's scared. Damn, I knew this was a bad idea. He isn't ready to see some of what's involved in loving a turian. Then Ian relaxes, and Garrus' fears are partly put to rest. Just to be sure, he repeats the action, gently scraping his teeth across the side of Ian's neck. This time, Ian doesn't tense or gasp.

Emboldened by this, Garrus decides to go a small step further. He exposes Ian's shoulder and very gently bites down. This time, Ian's only real reaction is a sharp inhale, but he quickly calms down again.

"Wow, uh...that's nicer than I expected," Ian says. He's surprised at how the feeling of Garrus' teeth makes his heart pump faster. Well, not surprised that it's pumping faster. He's more surprised that he's _enjoying_ it.

Garrus finally pulls back after Ian's comment. "I'm sort of surprised how well you handled that. I thought you'd, well, freak out a little."

"You gave me plenty of warning," Ian says, and Garrus can hear the thanks in his voice. Suddenly, Ian falls back onto the bed, pulling Garrus down on top of him. "This all ends tomorrow, Garrus. With Saren. One way or the other." Garrus smiles.

"This game of yours doesn't give you any answers?" he asks. It's strange for him to think that Ian knows what's going to happen. And that he knew everything that's happened already.

"I know we can beat him. Whether we do is another matter entirely." Ian stops to stare deeply into Garrus' eyes. Just like earlier, it feels like they're looking into each other's souls. "Which is why I want this. A night to ourselves."

"I wouldn't want it any other way," Garrus purrs, looking down at the incredible human lying beneath him.

"Neither would I," Ian says, looking up at the amazing turian that he's spent the last two years of his life with.

"I love you, Ian."

"I love you too, amatrus."

* * *

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya walks into her room after a shift in engineering and sits down on her bed. There are seven hours until Ilos. As she looks around the room, she's once again surprised that she has it all to herself. Before, she had shared the room with Chief Williams, but since, well, Virmire…Tali has had the room to herself. It was…interesting…trying to room with the Chief. They never really talked that much, and their schedules were such that they usually weren't in the room together, but Tali had always liked the Chief. She was just so…confident, especially in a male dominated profession. She would never admit it, but Tali somewhat looked up to Chief Williams.

Tali sighs and leans back. Now that she's out of engineering, she doesn't really know what to do. She can't seem to comprehend what she's about to take part of. Keelah, she still can't believe, after nearly a month, that she's even _on_ the Normandy.

This could also be her last night alive.

That thought instantly sobers her up, but she doesn't really know how to react. She's still on her Pilgrimage. She's not even an adult by her culture's standards, but she's taking part in a suicide mission. How is she supposed to feel?

As has so often happened during her Pilgrimage, her thoughts return to the Migrant Fleet: running around the Rayya with the other children, always wandering down to engineering to see how these marvelous ships work, trying to convince Captain Kar'Danna not to tell her father about something.

Her father.

It's strange. This is the first time since being on the Normandy that she's even thought about her father. Even with all the time's she's thought of home, Tali's thoughts never centered on Rael'Zorah. Maybe he's missed her while she's been away. Maybe…maybe she should send him a message. While she still has the chance.

Starting her omni-tool and opening her contact list, she finds her father's name.

_Dear father,_

…

How in Keelah's name should she start this? How can she explain any of what she's done to her father? She just knows that he'll try to pass Saren off as a human or a Council problem. Maybe she doesn't mention Saren. Focus on the fact that she's been killing geth. That should make her father proud.

_I just thought I'd send you a message to let you know how my Pilgrimage is going. Soon after I left the fleet, I heard reports of geth sightings outside the Veil. To make a long story short, I ended up teaming up with a group who is hunting down the geth. It's really an interesting group._

_Our leader is named Shepard. She's a human, and she's very kind. The only reason I'm on this team is because she saved me. She always makes sure that I have what I need, and we've even had interesting conversations. I'm teaching her about our people, and at the same time, I'm learning about humans. And that's a good thing because most of the team is human._

_The other humans are Kaidan Alenko, Ian Shaw, Dylan Owens, and…Ashley Williams. Unfortunately, Ashley was killed by geth a few days ago. She was a strong woman, and the whole team was saddened by her death. _

_I don't really know much about Kaidan, but he seems like a good person. Dylan is very nice. I've occasionally worked with him in engineering, and he has a good grasp for ship technology. Ian is…interesting. Just like Shepard, he likes to talk to me about our people, and he answers questions I have about humans. But he has this accent that makes him sound different than everyone else. It's fun talking to him._

_In addition to the humans, there's Garrus Vakarian, a turian, Urdnot Wrex, a _krogan_ of all things, and Liara T'Soni, an asari. Garrus is nice, if a little intimidating at times. Wrex…Wrex is just scary. Though he doesn't really act like a normal krogan. Still, I usually try to stay away from him. Liara is very nice. Shy, but whenever we talk she's very kind._

_Over the past few weeks, we've destroyed hundreds of geth, and I've managed to find some interesting data. We're headed towards a major geth base where I can hopefully acquire some valuable information to send back to the fleet._

_I don't really know why I'm telling you this, father. Shepard has said that we might not make it back from this mission. I guess this is me letting you know how I've been…just in case I don't get another chance. So know that I love you, father. Keelah se'lai._

_Tali'Zorah nar Rayya._

* * *

Kaidan Alenko sits in the comm. room, alone. There are six hours until Ilos, and Kaidan has been thinking ever since they stole the Normandy. He's been thinking about the future: more specifically, whether or not he'll _have_ a future. Virmire…well Virmire opened his eyes. He had always known that he could die serving in the Alliance, but this mission has made the possibility more real. Kaidan had been lucky up till now. Jenkins, on Eden Prime, had been his first friend to die in combat. The loss had hit hard, but he persevered. Then they lost Ash. Two friends in one mission. Since then, Kaidan has been painfully aware of his own mortality.

And this is why he's in the comm. room. He had gotten clearance from Commander Shepard, after much debate, to make an audio only call to the Citadel on a secure channel. Even if the Council does somehow listen in on the conversation, they won't be able to track it.

Because of all his recent thoughts about his mortality, Kaidan has also been thinking about his last shore leave. Well, mostly he's been thinking about Kassandra. She's who he's about to call. He thinks they need to talk.

After a few more minutes of thought, Kaidan makes the call. It rings a few times before it's finally picked up.

"Hello?" Ah, that voice. It's been too long since he heard her voice.

"Hi, Kass. It's Kaidan," he says, wanting to get this conversation started.

"Kaidan? Hi! How are you?" Kass asks, sounding surprised. She has every reason to be. She certainly wasn't expecting to hear from Kaidan for a few more weeks at least.

"I'm…fine. How 'bout you?" Kaidan asks.

"I'm great. I have to admit...it's nice hearing from you."

"And it's great to hear your voice right now," he says, unable to keep some of the worry out of his own voice.

"What's wrong?" she asks, suddenly sounding concerned. "Did something happen? Are you ok?"

"I'm alright, but we're headed towards a mission that...well...that might not end well. I wish I could say more than that, but I can't."

"I...I see," she says. "There's something wrong, though. I can hear it in your voice."

Kaidan hesitates. Should he really tell her how dangerous this could be?

...Yes. "I just...I might not make it back. And I wanted to call you just in case..."

"In case what?" She pauses. "You know what, don't answer that," Kass says with a shaky breath. "Is this how it always is? The calm before the storm?"

"I wouldn't necessarily say calm, but yeah," Kaidan says, smiling, even though she can't see it. "You get to thinking about things, and, well, I've been thinking about us."

"Really?" she asks with a slight catch in her voice. He'd even say she sounds happy. "I...I've been thinking about us, too. A lot, actually." Wait, she's been thinking about this, too? He's slightly surprised about that. Maybe that's a good sign.

"Oh, well...good. I just need to know if there's an 'us' for me to come back to." Kaidan pauses, and when he continues, he sounds a little unsure, even to himself. "Personally...I want there to be."

Kass gives out a small, shaky laugh. "Are we being crazy? I mean, we just met, but I feel..." She trails off, but she continues, nothing but seriousness in her voice. "I feel like I've known you a lot longer. That day we met. Do you remember? I went into Saronis Applications to look for an upgrade for my omni-tool, and you were standing in line behind me. You made me so nervous! I left my 'tool behind."

Oh the day they met. He can't help but smile at the memory. Kaidan has already forgotten why he went into the shop that day. The only thing he remembers from that day was meeting Kassandra. He was almost glad when he saw that she had left her omni-tool behind. It gave him an excuse to talk to her. Then he remembers what she just said, and he chuckles.

"Really? I made you nervous? That's...cute. I almost didn't notice that you left it behind. I almost didn't catch you, either."

"I was halfway to the transit station when I noticed I didn't have it. God, I was so mortified. I was half hoping you wouldn't be in the store anymore."

"Aww, you didn't want to see me?" Kaidan asks, unable to resist teasing her.

"Ha, more like I didn't want you to see _me_," she says, chuckling. "I felt so stupid for leaving it behind. I honestly didn't think you'd even paid me much attention in the store, much less come running after me with my omni-tool in hand."

"C'mon, Kass. You don't give yourself enough credit. You're beautiful, and you know it."

"With more compliments like that, I think I _will_ keep you around." They both laugh at that, but Kaidan doesn't answer immediately. She says she wants to keep him around, but maybe she was joking. He has to know for sure.

"So this is really happening?" he asks. "You're willing to be with me, knowing that we'll only get to see each other when I'm on leave?"

"Kaidan, would I still be talking to you if I didn't want this?" she asks, sounding like she's explaining something to a child. "You feel it, too, right? Seriously, are we crazy for doing this? I want to be with you, I really do. But I need for you to make me a promise."

"I won't make a promise I can't keep, Kass. But what do you want me to do?"

"Come back to me...please." She stops and takes a deep, shaking breath. "I know this isn't going to be easy. But it would make it easier to know that you'll do whatever it takes to get back home safely."

Why? Why did you have to ask for the one thing I can't possibly promise you, Kaidan thinks. "Kass...you know I can't make a promise like that." But he needs to give her something. Something to give her hope. "But I'll do _everything_ I can to come back to you. I can at least promise you that."

Neither of them speaks for a while. Finally, Kass breaks the silence. "You remember what you said to me on our last date? When we were looking out at the nebula?" Again, Kaidan smiles at the memory.

"'If only the nebula could be as beautiful as the woman standing next to me,'" he says, remembering the line verbatim.

She laughs. "You are on a roll, Alenko. Keep it up and you'll have a nice surprise waiting for you when you get back." The laughter turns into a small sigh. "I meant after that..."

"You mean how I do this—all the fighting—so I can have those rare perfect moments?" he asks, knowing full well that that's what she's talking about.

"You're a hero, Kaidan. You're _my_ hero," she says, voice full of passion. "You risk your life every day to give us—everyone back home—a better life. To have a home to come back to." Kass pauses and takes another deep breath. "I'll be waiting for you when you get back. Just...please...be careful, okay?"

"I'm not gonna die, Kass. Not after I found you." And Kaidan knows he's telling the truth. He has something he would die for, something he would _live_ for, too. He has everything—not only everything…he has a little bit more. "I need to go, babe. I'll call you again when I get back."

"Wait, I..." She stops and gives a low sigh. "Never mind. Good luck out there." Kaidan just smiles.

"I know...and thanks."

* * *

"Whatever they're all doing, it's probably something important to them," Jenny says, pulling me back into reality. Then she snorts. "Unlike us."

"You mean sitting up here in the mess isn't important to you?" I ask with a grin. "Because I don't think I've done anything so important." She smiles, but it looks a little…subdued. I was expecting more from her. "Are you ok, Jenny? I was expecting at least a chuckle at my sarcasm."

"I'm sorry, Dylan," she says, sighing and looking down at her cup. "I'm just…not feeling so great right now."

Well that doesn't sound so good. Hopefully it'll pass, and she'll feel better in the morning. And yet…something's stirring at the back of my mind. Suddenly, my memory gives the rest of my brain a solid kick.

Oh god. Instantly, I'm out of my seat and going to sit next to her.

"Jenny…I'm so sorry," I say, putting an arm around her shoulder. She lays her head on my shoulder.

"Don't. You have nothing to be sorry about." She stops and takes a deep, shaky breath. "Even if it doesn't really help, I've known it would happen for almost a year. It'll never _not_ hurt, but…some of the sting can be taken away."

"When?"

"I got the message when we were coming back from seeing Anderson," she says quietly. I really don't know what to say right now. Do I try to steer the conversation away from it, or do I get her to talk about it? Maybe I can get her to remember the good times.

"Tell me about her," I say.

"What can I say? She was my mother. She was a great mother. Even with a job and two kids, she always had time for anyone who needed it: me, my brother, my dad, the neighbors. Anyone. Always pushing us to do our best, but never telling us what to do with our lives." She stops and snorts. "I bet she never thought I'd join the Alliance, but she still supported me one hundred percent."

"She sounds like a pretty damn good mom," I say.

"She was the only one I knew, but I couldn't have asked for a better one." She stays silent for a while, just resting her head on my shoulder. I really can't imagine what's going through her head right now. Finally she speaks up again. "Can we…can we talk about something else?"

"Of course," I tell her instantly. "I didn't mean to make it hurt more."

"You didn't," she says, "but I just can't think about it anymore."

"I understand completely. Was there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Don't you have a topic in mind?" she asks.

"No, not really," I say.

"Statement: one-love."

Three hours, seven games of Questions, and a host of other random conversations later, I finally head back to my room. The door is unlocked, and I walk in to see Ian and Garrus…well, cuddling. I smile, glad to see that they made up.

There are six hours until Ilos; six hours until the storm.

**A/N: And Boom! Bonus, pre-Ilos chapter is done! I gotta say, this was a really fun-and often difficult-chapter to write. **

**I need to give huge thanks to iNf3ctioNZ and Kassandra Black for helping out with their respective parts. You two are awesome, and I'm sure you both had as much fun with this as I did. So thanks. For everything.**

**Up next is the first chapter of Ilos. I've got the rest of this story all figured out, and there are now five chapters of Welcome to The Family left! So yeah...we're getting close.**

**Anywho, that's it for now. Until next time, ta ta!**


	33. The Storm Begins

**A/N: And I'm back! Yay! So I took two weeks of ME3 then got back to writing. I won't talk about the game here in the A/N (and I ask that reviewers keep any review spoiler-free), but I will say that I loved the game.**

**Anywho, now that I'm back I'm gonna (try to) go back to putting a chapter out every ten days. But I'll just stop talking and let you enjoy the chapter.**

**The Storm Begins**

The Normandy shudders. There is one hour until Ilos. We have officially entered the system, and only a short stealth trip stands between us and destiny. The squad is assembled in the comm. room. Now that we're in the system, preparations can begin. While we can't get an accurate picture of the situation until we're almost at Ilos, Jenny can still pick her squad, and that's mainly what we're here to do. I know that she could do this over the intercom, but Jenny's one of those leaders who needs to be personal with her subordinates.

"All systems are green, Commander," Joker says over the intercom. "Relay jump went off without a hitch. Scans show a clear path to Ilos. ETA: one hour."

"Copy that, Joker. Do what you do best." With a click, the intercom cuts out, and Jenny takes a few seconds to look at each of us. For a split second, her eyes flicker to the floor when her gaze falls on the empty chair next to me. The look is gone in an instant, but I know what I saw. I think we're all missing Ash…

Finally, Jenny speaks up. "This is it. In an hour, we'll be on Ilos, and in two hours, we'll be standing on Saren's corpse." I have to suppress a shout of approval, but I can see similar feelings in everyone else. That bastard isn't gonna know what happened…but he will know who did it to him. Jenny has paused to let that sink in, but she continues on soon enough. "My only regret is that not everyone can go after him." _Because not everyone is here…_No, stop. Bad Dylan. This isn't the time for those thoughts. "Due to the nature of this attack, I can't take any more of you than I would a normal mission. So Kaidan, Dylan, Ian, and Garrus, go suit up. Be up at the airlock in half an hour. I wish we could plan this out more, but we're flying in blind. Dismissed."

We all exit the comm. room. All of us take the stairs down to the mess hall, but only the four of us going on the mission get into the elevator. Personally, I'm just glad I ate already. I don't think I would have enough time to eat now.

So Ian, Garrus, Kaidan, and I are going to Ilos. Honestly, I think that's a pretty good mix. All of us have some sort of tech skills—some more than others—and we have a biotic with Kaidan. And against geth, I think tech is more important than biotics.

I'm glad Ian is coming. Since our little revelation a few days ago, we've really stated to become friends. I mean, we were pretty much friends before the incident, but now even more so. I'm just super-glad that there's _someone_ I can talk to about this stuff.

Speaking of that…

"Hey Ian, can I talk to you real quick?" I ask as the elevator opens and everyone walks out.

"Sure, what do you need?" he says.

"I think we need a way to talk during the mission. Just in case something goes down."

"Or if something comes up that shouldn't," he says, filling in for what I was hesitant to say.

"Yeah. So I think we should set up a private frequency."

"How about 512 Delta?"

"Sure, that should work," I say. "Hopefully we won't have to use it."

"You got that right." He pauses for a second, seeming to think about something. "Should we include Garrus?"

He just had to ask that, didn't he? Well, I'm gonna be honest with him.

"I don't think that's the best idea," I say, slowly.

"And why not?" he asks. Surprisingly, though, he asks it a calm manner. I was expecting some kind of indignant response. So at least he's willing to consider this rationally.

"First off, he wouldn't be of much help. I only want to use this channel if something about canon is seriously fucked up. Secondly, I just don't think we need to worry him about it."

Ian stays silent for a bit, seeming to consider it. "You do realize that keeping a secret almost fucked up our relationship, right?" Damn…that's a good point. Ok, maybe I can convince him that we're not _really_ keeping a secret.

"I don't think we'd really be keeping a secret," I say. "More just not worrying him about something that doesn't concern him. Besides, I don't think he'd be angry about this. And if he's on the channel, he'll be asking questions about anything that we mention. Do you think a battlefield is the best place to answer questions like that?"

Again, Ian takes a few moments to think. "No, you're right," he finally says. "But if we do this, we're being completely open with him outside of missions."

"Fair enough," I tell him. "So if we ever feel the need to talk about something in private, just send a call through 512 Delta."

"Got it. Now if that's it, I think we need to get ready."

I don't bother to answer, choosing instead to simply walk out of the elevator.

Half an hour later, the five of us are standing behind Joker in the cockpit. We've all got full breather equipment, seeing as we don't know if Ilos has a breathable atmosphere. Seeing as the Protheans used to live there, it probably does, but we're not taking any chances. Good thing my mask is already fully sealed. It looks like Ian's cool helmet is the same way. Garrus, Jenny, and Kaidan have their normal helmets.

The next fifteen minutes are spent in a tense silence. We all know that we're essentially sneaking past a small geth fleet, and it's as though that has made us reluctant to speak. Finally, the silence is broken by Navigator Pressly.

"I'm picking up some strange readings from the planet's surface," he says, looking up from his console.

"That's probably where Saren is," Jenny says. "Take us down, Joker. Lock in on the coordinates."

"Negative on that, Commander," Pressly says. "The nearest landing zone is two klicks away."

"We'll never make it in time on foot," Kaidan says. "Get us something closer!"

"There is nothing closer! I've looked!" Geez Pressly, calm down.

"Then drop us in the Mako," Jenny says.

"You need at least a hundred meters of open terrain to pull off a drop like that," The XO explains. "The most I can find near Saren is twenty."

"Twenty meters?" Garrus asks, sounding incredulous. "That's suicide!"

"We have to try!" Ian says.

"Find another landing zone!" Kaidan says.

"There _is_ no other landing zone!"

"We're coming in too steep," Garrus says. "We'll never—"

"I can do it."

Immediately, all other talk in the cockpit ceases. Joker's quiet confidence stuns everyone back into silence.

"Joker?" Jenny asks, giving the pilot a look.

"I can do it," he repeats. Jenny just looks at him then up at us. When her eyes fall on me, I give a small nod. I trust him.

"Alright. Everyone head down to the Mako," Jenny orders. "Joker…drop us right on top of that bastard."

"Aye aye, Commander."

As we all walk away, I stop and give Joker a pat on the shoulder. "Good luck, flyboy."

"Just put a bullet in him," the pilot says quietly. "For Ash."

"For Ash."

* * *

Down in the Mako, I'm really glad that I can't see outside. Even with the Normandy's mass effect fields to dampen the inertia, I can feel us speeding towards the planet's surface. Suddenly, I can hear the wind start whipping through the Mako's armor: The cargo bay door is open. I feel us start to move forward, and soon, we're out of the Normandy's inertial dampeners. Immediately, my stomach drops to the floor, and I have the very unpleasant feeling of plummeting to the ground. As my stomach returns to its normal place, it's suddenly thrust into my throat as the Mako's thrusters kick in. A large thud alerts me to the fact that we're on the ground, and I'm thrown against my safety straps as the Mako comes to a dead stop.

Holy shit. We're alive!

"Everyone out!"

Well that doesn't sound good. Not waiting for another order, everyone clambers out of their seats and out of the Mako. I didn't think anything went wrong with that drop, but who knows?

Outside the vehicle, we all come to stand in front of a rather large blast door. I look back at the Mako and don't see any obvious damage.

"Damn it," Jenny says, looking at the door. "We need to get in here before Saren finds the Conduit."

"There's no way we're blasting our way through that door," Garrus says. "Not without a generous amount of high explosives."

"Saren found some way to open it," Kaidan says, always the logical one. "There's gotta be some kind of override around here."

"Well then let's find it and turn it on," I say, wanting to get started.

"Agreed," Jenny says. "Let's move out."

She turns around, pulling out her sniper rifle. All of us follow suit, drawing our preferred weapons. Looking at the others, I realize that I'm the only one with an assault rifle out…I'm probably gonna be the tank again. Damn it. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I need heavier armor. Not even waiting for an order, I walk up to the front next to Jenny.

As we pass the Mako, I realize just how small an area this is. Damn, Joker really is the best. Twenty meters my ass; this is more like ten. For some ungodly reason, the path out of this clearing narrows down to a chokepoint, barely wide enough for two people to walk through. Twenty bucks says there are geth just waiting for us to come through.

I take a position on the right side of the opening, and Jenny takes the left. Ian, Garrus, and Kaidan stack up on either side. Looking across at Jenny, she nods, and I nod back. It's go time.

Jenny and I storm through the opening. I immediately check the extreme right side for hostiles. Seeing none, I turn back toward the front. Huh…there's no one here. All I see are a few random blocks of stone sitting in an otherwise empty courtyard.

"Clear," Jenny says.

"Clear," I echo.

"I've got nothing," Ian says from behind me. Garrus and Kaidan announce that they, too, see nothing. Good thing I never voiced my bet.

"Alright, form up," Jenny orders. "I'll take point, Dylan and Kaidan next, then Ian and Garrus. I want a two meter spread. If we cluster together, we're done." She stops and looks at the area in front of us. "This courtyard looks like a wonderful place for an ambush."

We follow her orders, forming up into a traditional wedge formation. Once in formation, we slowly start to cross the open courtyard. Everyone constantly scans the area, heeding Jenny's warning about an ambush. Unfortunately, these giant blocks don't give us a very long line of site: they seem placed in such a way that they overlap as much as possible. It's almost like a maze.

Jenny reaches the edge of another block, opening up her line of sight a bit, and immediately dives back. A rather large burst of pulse fire follows her. Seeing that, the rest of us take cover behind the large stone. As Jenny's getting up, I edge myself over to the corner to peek around.

…

That's an armature. Actually, no, scrap that. That's _two_ armatures. They're also in a completely open space. On the far side. That really can't be good. Though at least those are the only two enemies. So at least that's something going for us…

Yeah, that doesn't help. So we might be screwed unless someone has a rocket launcher handy. Or a Cain…has that been invented yet? Either way, we don't have one, so speculation is useless.

"So what's the plan with this, Jenny?" I ask, seeing that she's finally composed herself after that near-miss.

"Shoot them till they stop moving."

…

Hell, _I_ could have come up with that. But she's probably right about that; there's really not much else we can do. Trying to get closer would be suicide, which means we're stuck sniping at them. Good thing we have three of the best snipers around! And my Mattock isn't to be laughed at for medium distance targets. Only Kaidan might have some trouble, but even then, he's got tech and biotics.

"Everyone, spread out," Jenny orders. "I want all of you in a position to take shots at these things." The rest of us nod and move to find a position. I manage to grab the corner I was at when I first saw the geth. Ian is across from me, taking coving behind the block next to mine. Not seeing any reason to put this off, I lean around the corner and start letting shots off.

The two armatures are positioned one in front of the other. That's actually a very good thing for us: means they both can't shoot at us. Taking the logical option, I target the nearest one. Seeing as there isn't a huge need for aiming, I'm pretty much letting off shots as fast as I can pull the trigger.

My shots aren't alone, and I can see that the others are only targeting the nearest one, as well. At the moment, the armature is sending torrents of machine gun fire towards who I think is Kaidan. Considering he can, compared to the rest of us, do the least damage to the armature, I'm not complaining. No matter who it's shooting at, it still has four others shooting at it. The only time my Mattock isn't firing is when it's overheated, and I see Ian across from me keeping a relentless stream of sniper rounds headed towards the armature. This thing can't have much left in it.

My Mattock has just cooled down, so I lean around the corner again to start shooting. After a few shots, I see something big and blue fly over the armature. It's a siege pulse. As quickly as I can, I trace the trajectory to its target.

The target is Ian.

He's currently scoping in at the other armature.

The siege pulse is coming in out of his line of sight.

Nothing else to do: I gotta run.

Time seems to slow down as I drop my Mattock and run towards Ian. He can't be more than five meters away, but I don't know how fast one of those siege pulses goes. My periphery is steadily getting bluer as I get closer to Ian. Shit, I think this is gonna be too close for comfort. I push off one last time with my right leg, propelling myself into dive towards him.

My body impacts his, sending us both behind the block. I land on top of him, and almost as soon as we hit the ground, I hear a deafening explosion behind me, and my shields completely disappear. A wave of heat rushes over me, and I'm very uncomfortable in my armor for about five seconds.

But that's it.

HAHA, I'm alive! And the rustling underneath me means that Ian's alive, too! Holy fuck…that worked! Suddenly, the rustling gets more intense, and Ian speaks up.

"Are you coming onto me?"

…

He's trying to mess with me. I grin behind my helmet, deciding to play along.

"Sorry, Ian. You're just not my type."

"You're not mine either. You're human." I can hear the grin in his voice as he says that. I just chuckle, getting up and offering a hand to Ian. He takes it, and I haul his sorry ass off the ground.

"You think anyone noticed me saving your sorry ass?" I ask once he's back on his feet. Before he can answer, I hear footsteps pound towards us.

"Ian! Ian, are you alright?" Garrus asks, running up to the Brit in question.

"I'm fine, Garrus," he says. "I still don't know what happened, but Dylan saved my life." He stops and looks quizzically at Garrus. "What _did_ happen?"

Garrus looks kind of uncomfortable at that. Almost like he doesn't want to tell Ian how close he was to death. Or he doesn't want to admit that he couldn't save him. Finally, he speaks up. "The armature in the back shot a siege pulse aimed right at you. Dylan noticed it and managed to get you out of the way." Garrus stops and takes a deep breath. The he looks at me. "Thank you, Dylan. I know I've been…less than friendly towards you lately, and I'm sorry."

Holy shit…did Garrus actually apologize to me? Granted, he has been sort of a dick lately, but I was prepared to ignore that. But the fact that he's apologizing for it is somewhat of a relief. Hopefully now we can be friends…especially since he knows my secret.

'No worries, Garrus," I say, just wanting to put that all behind us now. "Let's just get back to killing these armatures, shall we?" I can't see behind the helmet, but I'm guessing he has a very predatory grin right now.

"That sounds like a good idea."

And with that, we head back to our old positions. I sprint across the gap to my block and pick up my Mattock from the ground. Gun in hand, I lean around the cover to start taking shots again. It looks like Jenny and Kaidan managed to take out the first armature while I was being a hero, so I start shooting at the far one.

Nothing that interesting happens while we're killing the second armature. It's basically just the five of us shooting the damned thing for a full five minutes. Eventually, we push it over the edge, and the AI explodes in a rather spectacular manner. When it's finally dead, we regroup around Jenny.

"Is everyone alright?" Jenny asks, looking around. We all give some sort of affirmative. "Good. We need to keep searching for whatever can open the door."

And search we do. We walk through innumerable corridors—some covered, some open to the sky, letting in natural light from Ilos' star. For being 50,000 years old, this city is in surprisingly good condition. I feel like if Liara were here, she'd be having a small geek-out…ok, so probably a _big_ geek-out. As it is, everyone is very subdued walking through the desolate city. I almost feel like I'm intruding by being here. It's weird, but…it kind of feels like the city doesn't want us here. The covered corridors seem to crush down on us, and the light from the sun seems unnaturally intense. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, or maybe I'm finally developing a sense of decency: I am basically intruding on the last resting place of the Protheans.

After a few minutes of searching, we find ourselves on top of a small hill overlooking a courtyard. Said courtyard contains a squad of geth. Looks to be four troopers, a shock trooper, and a destroyer. Great…because every destroyer before now has been such an easy opponent. You know, when it's not trying to kill me.

Jenny calls a halt to come up with a battle plan. Before she even says anything, though, she looks at Ian and Garrus then back towards the geth. The two of them nod, and all three take up position, pulling out their sniper rifles. So I take it they're gonna snipe the geth out. I guess Kaidan and I get to sit back and enjoy the show.

"Go."

Three shots ring out with a single voice, instantly ending the existence of three of the geth troopers. Almost simultaneously, the three of them pull their bolts back, helping the rifle cool down faster. Now, though, they have moving targets. The remaining geth were easily able to trace the sound of the shots back to our position, and now they're headed towards us. Ian takes his second shot, and the final geth trooper falls without a head. Garrus soon follows, striking the shock trooper and depleting its shields. Jenny's shot finishes it off. Now the destroyer is the only one left. To its credit, it takes two shots from each of them to bring the hulking synthetic down.

None of them made it half way to us.

"Well that was easy," I can't help but say. "Are you three sure you need Kaidan and me?"

"You can just stand there looking pretty," Ian says. I can hear the smile behind his helmet. "Well, at least Kaidan can." Ooh…damn, I just got burned. The others know it, too, as shown by their laughter.

"Then I guess you're out of luck the next time an armature decides to target you," I say.

"Is that door working?" Jenny asks out of nowhere. I look over to her to see her looking across the small valley the geth were in. I can't really see anything, but Garrus and Ian both take a look through their scopes.

"It sure looks like there's an active interface next to it," Garrus says.

"Think we should check it out?" Kaidan asks.

"Probably couldn't hurt," Ian says.

"Agreed," Jenny says. "Let's move out. Maybe that's where the override is." Without waiting for a response, she starts walking down the hill, the rest of us following quickly after. We cross the valley, trying to move quickly while also watching out for attacks. It's a fairly open area, and if we get caught out here, it'll be one hell of a fight to get out.

Finally, we reach the door. The working interface Garrus mentioned turns out to be nothing more than a green button. Still, it's better than nothing. With nothing to lose, Jenny presses the button. After a few seconds, the door opens, revealing a single room. Hesitantly, Jenny steps into the room. I'm fully expecting something bad to happen, but when nothing does, she motions for us to enter, too.

On the far wall, there's another button like the one that opened the door. Jenny walks over to it and hovers her hand over the button. Before pressing it, though, she looks back at us with her head somewhat cocked to one side. I think she's asking permission. Not seeing if anyone else does anything, I just nod. This has to be the elevator that takes us to the control center, so that button is our only option.

She turns back and presses the button. For a second, nothing happens. What the hell? Suddenly, the elevator shakes, and I hear a loud grinding noise as the lift starts to move.

"I get the feeling we found the way to our override switch," I say.

"It looks like it," Kaidan says. "This area must be running on some kind of back-up generator. I'm surprised it still works after 50,000 years."

"I'm not complaining," Ian says. "But we still need to figure out how to open the door, and twenty bucks says Saren left some mooks behind to guard the place."

"No bet with that one," I say.

The door opens before any more can be said. Naturally, Jenny takes point, turning right out of the elevator. I follow quickly after, knowing I'm the designated tank. There's a long hallway that appears to lead to a large, open room.

Oh yeah, there's also a geth prime.

…

Fuck.

If we get stuck in this hallway, we're dead. Again: fuck.

"Everybody run!" Jenny yells. "Get out of the hallway and into the room!" You do _not_ have to tell me twice, Jenny. I'm right on her heels as she starts sprinting down the hall. The prime is near the center of the room, but it's slowly getting closer to the threshold of the hall. As soon as I cross that threshold, I break to the left as Jenny breaks right. We've gotta surround this motherfucker, or we're all gonna die.

I keep running past the thing, leaving whoever is behind me room to enter the area. After a decent distance, I take cover behind a pillar, catching my breath. I don't wait too long, though. Soon enough I'm out of cover, taking shots at the prime's back. It looks like everyone made it out of the hall and is now sending his own brand of kick-ass at the geth. The prime doesn't seem to know which one of us to target. Finally, it settles on one.

Jenny.

The damn thing charges—_charges_—at her. I didn't think I've ever seen a prime move that fast. It's acting like a fucking destroyer! We've gotta kill it before it can do any real damage! I unleash an Overload at it, trying to leave a dent in its shields, but the damn thing shrugs it off like it was nothing. Fuck, we've gotta do something!

By now, Jenny is actively running away from the prime. The rest of us are doing literally everything we can to take this bastard out: I can see burst after burst of electricity hit the damn thing, but it seems unstoppable! And it's starting to catch up to Jenny! _Fuck!_

I've never pulled the trigger faster in my entire life. And now my Mattock has overheated! I drop it, pulling out my Carnifex and continuing to shoot. Jenny is still running, and the prime is still giving chase.

Jenny trips.

She falls.

I run.

The prime stops, standing above her. Jenny starts shooting at it with her pistol, but its shields are somehow still up.

I come up behind it. I literally have no idea what to do. What the fuck _can_ I do against this thing? Well I need to think of something fast, or else Jenny will die. This thing is too tall for me to put a bullet in the back of its head, but I'm starting to have a different idea. Praying that this will actually work, I place the barrel of my Carnifex right up against the back of the prime's knee.

I pull the trigger.

The prime lets out a mechanical scream and goes down on a knee. At the same time, it rotates its torso and bashes me with one of its arms. I go flying back, losing my pistol when I hit the ground. The wind is knocked out of me, and there's a very sharp pain in my chest where the prime hit me.

I hear a gunshot, and large thud resounds around the room as something heavy hits the ground. I'm just lying on my back, feeling unable to move while my vision starts to blur. Suddenly, a shape stands over me. Fuck…the damn thing survived.

Then the shape kneels next to me. My eyes manage to focus, and I see Jenny squatting by my side.

Holy fuck…I did it.

**A/N: Well there we go! Ilos part one of two is done. Only four chapters left! I can't believe it! I've gotta say, it feels good to be back. It feels even better knowing that I'm almost done with WttF. And yes, there will be a WttF2...silly people. I love this story, and I'm looking forward to continuing it into ME2 and 3.**

**Also, on a totally separate note, I feel the need to give a story shout-out. _Get_ by Rob DS Zeta is a wonderful, relatively new SI detailing the escapades of Raz Kennedy. It's a great story, and Rob's a skilled writer, so I recommend checking it out.**

**Anywho, that's about it for now. Till next time, ta ta!**


	34. The Chase is On

**A/N: Well hey thar, guys and gals! I managed to tank out this chapter; a fact which I'm very proud of. Originally, I was hoping to update by the weekend. But hey, I'm not complaining, and I'm guessing you folks aren't, either. **

**Anywho, this chapter finishes up Ilos, so in-game dialogue shall abound. Even with that, I think you'll like it. Enjoy!**

**The Chase is On**

"Dylan? Dylan! Come on, Dylan, talk to me!"

I just groan. I don't really think I can do more than that right now. The back of my head hurts from where it hit the ground, and I have a sharp pain in my chest. God, I really hope I didn't break a rib. That would suck. It would also put me out of commission for the rest of the mission.

…

Totally just rhymed my internal monologue.

Anywho, Jenny hears my groan and seems to recognize that that's the best answer she's gonna get right now.

"I know you just took a nasty hit," she says, "but we're still on the clock. You've got a minute before we need to get moving."

Ugh. Great. Well, I can tell the rest of this mission is gonna be _fun_. It's not even like medi-gel can do anything for me. It can't cure headaches or potentially broken bones. Though the fact that I can breathe fairly easily probably means I don't have a broken rib. Probably just bruised to hell. It's still gonna suck.

I spend the next full minute lying motionless on the ground, trying to will the pain away. It doesn't really work. All too quickly, my minute is up, and Jenny comes to stand over me. She doesn't say anything; she just offers me her hand. I take it, and she hauls me to my feet. I have to fight a wave of dizziness once I'm on my feet. Geez, now I hope I don't have a freaking concussion. No, can't think like that. Just have to keep going.

Once I can think straight, I look at Jenny. "Thanks."

"No, thank you," she says. "You saved my life at the risk of your own." She pauses, and I'll swear that she's smiling inside her helmet. "Don't know whether that's brave or stupid."

"Knowing me, it's probably both," I say with a grin of my own. She chuckles. "Is everyone else ok?"

"We're fine, kid," Kaidan says, walking up to where Jenny and I are. Ian and Garrus are right behind him.

"Yeah, we're not the ones trying to cap a prime," Ian says, amusement clearly evident in his voice.

"Hey, it worked, right?" I look over at Jenny. "Since you're still alive, I'm assuming it worked?"

"Yes, it worked," she says. "When it went down on its knee and turned to hit you, I was able to get up and put my pistol against its head."

"Awesome. So where's this override thing we're looking for?"

"While you were having nap time on the floor, Garrus and I started looking around," Ian says.

"We didn't look very hard, but we noticed a sort of balcony at the end of this room," Garrus adds. "We think if there is an override switch in here, it's most likely up there."

"Then that's where we're headed," Jenny says. Not waiting for any more talk, she starts walking towards the end of the room. Now that I'm looking in the right direction, I can see the balcony they were talking about: a standard stone kind of thing with areas to look down across the room it overlooks. There's a path that runs below it, but from what I can see, it doesn't lead up at all. If I remember correctly, there's a ramp on one side.

Luckily, Jenny also notices that the center path doesn't seem to lead where we want to go, so she leads us to the left side. Running parallel to the far wall and hidden from the front of the room is a ramp leading up to the balcony. Hooray for Jenny having a good sense of direction!

The balcony is rather Spartan: only a few consoles that line the walls. That's it. And only one console seems active. Jenny walks up to it and stands there for a few moments, not doing anything. I wonder what she's waiting for.

"Dylan, come over here," she says. Huh? Why would she need me? Whatever, though. I walk up next to her and take a look at the console. Seems pretty simple. It has four buttons: lock gate, unlock gate, raise gate, and lower gate. Right now the "lock gate" and "lower gate" buttons are lit up. Probably saying that the gate is lowered and locked. This seems like a really easy fix…I don't know why Jenny would need me.

"What do you need, Jenny?" I ask.

"Can you make sense of this console?" she asks. I look at her, cocking my head to the side. Huh?

"Yeah…" I say, slowly. "You mean you can't?"

"I can't even read the thing," she says. "Let alone make sense of it."

"You can't read it?"

"Well, it's certainly not English or Chinese," Jenny says. Wait, she can read Chinese? That's cool, but I don't think now's the time to ask her about it. "Hell, it doesn't look like _any_ writing I've ever seen."

"Hold on," Kaidan says. "Dylan, do you remember Feros? More specifically, what you got on Feros?" What did I get on Feros? Other than a heart attack from Ash getting hurt.

…

Oh.

"The Cipher," I say.

"That's what I'm thinking," he replies.

"So you think this is actually Prothean writing, and I can read it because of the Cipher."

"Pretty much."

"It makes sense," Ian says. "I mean, that thing was supposed to let you think like a Prothean. It makes sense that it would let you read like one, too. And we are kind of in a Prothean city."

"So then why don't you go ahead and override the security," Jenny says. I nod and step up to the console. I tap the unlock button then the raise gate button and voila!

"There we go," I say, stepping back. "Now let's go get Saren."

"Hold on," Garrus says. "Something's happening." And he's right. Next to the console, an orange…blob…has formed. The thing starts fluctuating wildly, and it starts to make noise. It's just static at first, but soon, I'm able to pick out a few words here and there.

"Too late…can't…fleets…no escape…" Then it goes back to static for a while. Everyone looks at me.

"What? I only caught a few words. The rest of it was static. But what I did hear didn't sound too good."

"Can't…refuge…side archives…Reapers…Citadel…overwhelmed…is lost…Conduit…ly hope."

"Anything more that time?" Jenny asks.

"It mentioned the Conduit, but that was about it," I say, not wanting to worry the others. "Come on, we should get going." She nods, and we walk out of the room. Behind us, the echoes of the VI's warning ring out.

"Cannot be stopped…cannot be stopped…cannot be stopped…"

Well we're gonna stop them.

Back in the main room, Jenny stops to look around. I can almost see her hoping there's an easy way out. Luckily (if I remember correctly) there is. And it looks like Jenny found it: She's heading towards the path under the balcony. And what do you know, there's an elevator. We pile in and start going back up to the surface.

The ride is silent, but it's fairly quick. The door opens, and we find ourselves right near where we fought the armatures. Hell, there are the remains right over there. At least we're pretty close to the Mako. All we have to do now is navigate through that freaking block maze.

Five minutes later, we reach the Mako. The blast door is open, revealing the bunker that lies beyond.

"Alright, everybody: Pile in," Jenny says. "Garrus, take the turret. Kaidan, you're up front in the tech seat. Dylan and Ian, you two get to relax. Enjoy it while it lasts." You don't have to tell me twice, Jenny. After that damn prime, I'm more than happy to relax. I enter last, taking a seat in the back across from Ian. A few seconds later, Jenny stomps the accelerator, and we're off on the chase.

Seeing as I have nothing to do, I just lay my head back and close my eyes, hoping to maybe get some shut-eye. Considering that Jenny's driving seems to be suffering from our self-imposed time limit, I might not get that luxury. And even if I could sleep through Jenny's driving, my omni-tool suddenly beeps. I open my eyes and look down at my wrist. Huh, looks like Ian wants to talk. Looking up at him, I switch over to 512 Delta.

"What do you need, big guy?" I ask. "Notice any canon changes?"

"Not yet," he says. "That's kind of why I'm calling."

"Ok. So you wanna talk about what might happen?"

"Pretty much. I mean, there are two people who aren't supposed to be here. That's kind of a recipe for disaster."

"Yeah, good point," I say, thinking about everything that's been different so far. "So what are you thinking? Vigil? The battle on the Citadel?"

"Citadel. Definitely the Citadel," he says. "I mean, Vigil's pre-programmed, but Saren, Sovereign...that's all variable." Right as he says this, the Mako makes a hard swerve to the right, and Garrus opens up with the main gun. Guess we ran into some geth.

"Huh, I hadn't thought about that." For some reason, his mention of Sovereign tickles my memory…right. Virmire. I should probably ask him about that. Maybe he had a similar experience. "Though now that you mention it, when we were on Virmire, did Sovereign talk to you?"

"Yeah. Some stuff about my own secret being my destruction, though since you ask, I assume you got the same spiel from him?"

"Guessed it in one. I think that whole thing is why I was so quick to admit my secret to you instead of trying to lie my way out of it." I pause, thinking of something. "Think he'll try something again?"

"It's Sovereign," he says after another hard swerve. "I doubt he's just gonna kick back and go, 'Ah, fair play to them for ignoring me.' Not really his style." I chuckle. Even on a mission of galactic importance, he's sarcastic as ever.

"Again, good point," I say over the sound of the Mako's machine gun It sounds like Garrus is having fun up there. "So we should probably watch out for him trying that again."

"Agreed. Anything else you're worried about?" I think about that for a second.

"Nah, I think you're right: The Citadel is gonna be our biggest problem area. And besides, I think we're getting close to Vigil. The gunfire has stopped." And it has. It was very sudden, but Jenny's finally stopped her maneuvers, and Garrus seems to be just sitting pretty up in the turret.

"Well, time for massive revelations." He pauses, and I can just tell he's waiting to say something else. "Oh wait. Not for us." Again, I chuckle.

"Time for massive boredom," I say with a smile behind my mask. "We should probably switch back to the squad channel."

"Yeah, probably. Back to work." I nod, fiddling with my omni-tool to switch it back to the squad channel. As soon as I do, Kaidan's voice comes through my mask's audio.

"What the hell is that thing?" he asks.

"It's a trap!" Garrus yells. Oh god…he probably doesn't even realize what he just yelled. Even so, I barely hold back my laughter. I don't think now's the time to explain Star Wars to an alien…assuming Star Wars even exists in this universe. Still, now's not the time for that.

"I get the feeling this isn't what it looks like," Jenny says. She pauses, probably thinking about what to do. "Everyone out of the Mako. Hopefully there's an off-switch for this thing around here." We comply, and the five of us are out of the Mako in a matter of moments.

Looking around, I see the side passage that will lead us to Vigil. Jenny notices it, too, because she starts walking towards it. Seeing as she's our leader, we follow her. It looks pretty much the same as the other two elevators, and once we're all inside, she presses the button.

The elevator begins its descent, and it's just now that I notice that it doesn't go straight down. It goes down at an angle. That seems…inefficient, wasteful. Maybe my own experience with elevators is prejudicing me, but I still prefer straight vertical elevators.

Anywho, the trip down is silent. Just like when we were searching for the override, there's a sense of reverence about this place. There's still that feeling that we're intruding on something that should just be left alone. It's a little disquieting, but all of us know that we're here to stop Saren. We're here to avenge the Protheans.

Finally, the elevator stops and opens up, revealing a long, straight walkway. At the end of the path is a single terminal: Vigil. Hesitantly, Jenny leads us towards the Prothean VI. Just like the one at the override, Vigil is fluctuating wildly. When Jenny comes to stand in front of it, Vigil speaks up.

"You are not Prothean," it says, softly. Wait a second…it sounds different. It sounds…Jamaican? African? Some sort of accent like that. Huh, that's weird. Since it's still talking, I should probably listen. "But you are not machine, either. This eventuality was one of many that was anticipated. That is why we sent our warning though the beacons."

"It looks like some kind of Prothean VI," Kaidan says. "But it's pretty badly damaged."

"I do not sense the taint of indoctrination upon any of you. Unlike the other that passed by recently. Perhaps there is still hope."

"Hold on, how come I can understand you?" Jenny asks. "Why are you speaking English?"

"I have been monitoring your communications since your arrival at this facility," Vigil explains. "I have translated my output into a format you will comprehend." The VI pauses for a bit before continuing. "My name is Vigil. You are safe here, for the moment. But that is likely to change. Soon, nowhere will be safe."

"So what do you want with us?" Jenny asks. "Why did you bring us here?"

"You must break a cycle that has continued for millions of years. But to stop it, you must understand or you will make the same mistakes we did. The Citadel is the heart of your civilization and the seat of government. As it was with us, and as it has been with every civilization that came before us. But the Citadel is a trap. The station is actually an enormous mass relay: one that links to dark space. The Reapers dwell in the empty void beyond the edge of the galaxy until the cycle starts again. When the Citadel Relay is activated, the Reapers will pour through, and all you know will be destroyed."

Wow…if I hadn't known all that already, I would probably be in serious shock right now. As it is, I'm glad my face is hidden; I probably couldn't fake surprised right now. But still, in the wake of such an enormous revelation, a palpable silence fills the air. I almost have to respect the Reapers for coming up with such an ingenious plan. They ensure that resistance is broken almost instantly.

"My god," Jenny says quietly. "The Citadel fleet wouldn't stand a chance. The Council would be dead before the end of the first day."

"That was our fate," Vigil says, somehow managing to sound sad. "Our leaders were dead before we even realized we were under attack. The Reapers seized control of the Citadel and though it, the mass relays. Communication and transportation across our empire were crippled. Each star system was isolated, cut off from the others. Easy prey for the Reapers fleets. Over the next decades, the Reapers systematically obliterated our people. World by world, system by system, they methodically wiped us out."

"And you never tried to surrender?" Jenny asks. "I would think anything would be preferable to extinction."

"No chance for surrender was given. The Reapers simply swept across all colonized systems, choosing either to eliminate them, or enslave them. Within a few centuries, the Reapers killed or enslaved every Prothean in the galaxy. They were relentless, brutal, and absolutely thorough."

"You told me you brought us here to stop them," Jenny says. "What do we need to do?"

"The Conduit is the key. Before the Reapers attacked, we Protheans were on the cusp of unlocking the mysteries of mass relay technology. Ilos was a top-secret research facility. Here, researchers worked to create a small-scale version of a mass relay. One that linked directly to the Citadel: the hub of the relay network."

Again, a sort of stunned silence follows that revelation. Now that the other shoe has dropped, the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fall into place. If I'm not mistaken, though, we're still missing the last piece: the Keepers.

"The Conduit isn't a weapon…it's a back door onto the Citadel," Kaidan says, sounding awed at the technological wonder of it.

"So what happened?" Jenny asks. "I'm guessing you managed to finish the Conduit?"

"You are correct," Vigil says. "We severed all communications with the outside, and our facility went dark. The personnel retreated underground into these archives. To conserve resources, everyone was put into cryogenic stasis. I was programmed to monitor the facility and wake the staff when the danger had passed. But the genocide of an entire species is a long, slow process. Centuries passed, and still the Reapers persisted. My energy reserves were dwindling." Vigil pauses for a moment, and almost—_almost_—sounds uncomfortable with what it says next. "I began to disable the life support of non-essential personnel. First support staff, then security. One by one, their pods were shut off to conserve energy. Eventually, only the stasis pods of the top scientists remained active. Even these were in danger of failing when the Reapers finally retreated back through the Citadel Relay."

For the third time this conversation, everyone falls silent. Man, Vigil really loves these earth-shaking revelations, doesn't it? Garrus is the first to recover.

"There were hundreds of pods out there!" he yells. "You just shut them down? You were programmed to protect them, not kill them."

"This outcome was not completely unseen," Vigil says in its defense. As cruel as it is, I agree with it. It had to be done. Otherwise, the Reapers would be here already. "My actions were a result of contingency programs entered on my creation."

"I bet no one told the 'non-essential' staff about this contingency," Ian says in all his sarcastic glory.

"I saved key personnel. When the Reapers retreated, the top researchers were still alive. My actions are the only reason any hope remains. When they awoke, they realized the Prothean species was doomed. Only a handful of individuals remained: far too few to sustain a viable population. Yet they vowed to find a way to stop the Reapers from returning. They discovered the key to the cycle: the keepers."

"The keepers?" Jenny asks. "How are they the key?"

"The keepers are controlled by the Citadel. Before each invasion, a signal is sent through the station, compelling the keepers to activate the Citadel Relay. After decades of intense study, the scientists discovered a way to alter this signal. Using the Conduit, they gained access to the Citadel and made their modifications. This time, when Sovereign sent the signal to the Citadel, the keepers ignored it. The Reapers are trapped in dark space."

"But now Saren can use the Conduit to bypass the Citadel fleet!" Jenny says now that the final piece of the puzzle has been revealed.

"Correct. And once inside, he can transfer control of the station to Sovereign. Sovereign will override the Citadel's systems and manually open the relay. And the cycle of extinction will begin again."

"How can we stop him?"

"There is a data file in my console," Vigil says. "Take a copy when you go. When you reach the Citadel's master control unit, upload it to the station. It will corrupt the Citadel's security protocols and give you temporary control over the station. It might give you a chance against Sovereign."

"Where's this master control unit?" Garrus asks. "I've worked there for years and never even heard of anything like that."

"Follow Saren. He will lead you to your destination."

"And Saren's got a huge head start," Jenny says. "Kaidan, grab that data file, and let's go!"

"The one you call Saren has not reached the Conduit. Not yet. There is still hope if you hurry." And with that, Vigil disappears.

"You heard Vigil, let's move!" Jenny orders. None of us bother to respond; we just run back towards the elevator. Inside, Jenny slams on the button, and I can feel the impatience as the lift slowly rises.

After what seems like an eternity, the door opens, and we rush back into the Mako.

"You think we'll make it?" Ian asks. Before anyone can answer, something weird happens. Everything other than Ian goes all greyscale, and I feel a sudden chill.

I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT YOU WON'T. I quickly turn my head and see Death sitting next to me in the back of the Mako.

"Death? What the hell are you doing here?" I ask. "And what do you mean we won't make it?"

I THOUGHT I WAS BEING QUITE CLEAR. THE CONDUIT WILL CLOSE BEFORE YOU ARE EVEN HALF WAY THERE.

"How do you even know that?" Ian asks "And you still haven't said why you're here!"

"And what the hell is going on?" I add. Then my brain seems to register something that my eyes noticed a while ago. Everything is frozen. Well, besides Ian, Death, and I. "And why is everything frozen?"

I HAVE MOMENTARILY SUSPENDED TIME, ALLOWING US TIME TO TALK. IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPERITAVE THAT YOU REACH THE CONDUIT AND FOIL SOVEREIGN'S PLOT.

"Really?" Ian asks, sarcasm simply dripping from that one word. "Fuck, and I thought we were just gonna let him get away with it."

AH, I SEE YOU HAVE USED SARCASM. HUMEROUS. BUT YOU FAIL TO COMPREHEND WHAT IS AT STAKE HERE.

"Then why don't you tell us?" I ask.

BECAUSE YOUR TIME IS RUNNING OUT. AND I AM HERE TO HELP WITH THAT.

Ian shakes his head. "Man, having Death on our side is great..." he mutters. The he speaks up. "Alright, what's your cunning plan?"

AS DYLAN HAS ALREADY NOTICED, I HAVE BROUGHT YOU INTO THE REALM WHERE I CONDUCT MY...BUSINESS. IT IS ESSENTIALLY A FROZEN MOMENT, OUTSIDE OF TIME. I SHALL ALLOW YOU TO UTILIZE IT TO REACH THE CONDUIT.

Hold on…something about that seems…off. If time is frozen, how will we be able to move? Movement requires time, that's physics. "But...how would that work?"

"Yeah. This sounds awfully sciency," Ian says. I look over at him, cocking my head at his…interesting choice of words. He just shrugs.

UNLESS YOU ARE CAPIBLE OF VISUALIZING AN ELEVEN DIMENSIONAL SPACE WITH FIVE OF THOSE DIMENSIONS BEING TIME, YOU NEED NOT CONCERN YOURSELVES WITH IT.

I look back at Ian. "Ok...so we just take your word that this'll work?" I ask Death.

"I think that's a good idea," Ian says.

SIMPLY DRIVE TO THE CONDUIT IN THIS FROZEN MOMENT. I WILL TAKE CARE OF THE DETAILS. And as quickly as he arrived, Death is gone. But the greyscale remains, apparently signifying that we're still in this frozen moment.

"That was weird..." I say after a few moments. Ian nods.

"Uh…yeah. Yeah, just a little."

"So...who should drive?"

"Well, I literally can't. So, process of elimination leaves..." He makes a pretense of looking around before settling on me. "You."

I suppress a chuckle and shake my head. "Geez, what were they teaching the kids in England?" I ask, not wasting an opportunity to make a joke. "But whatever, this should be just like driving my Mustang back home. Only...you know...totally different. I can't say I've ever driven in Death Time before."

"That beats never driving at all," he says.

"Good point," I say, getting up and heading towards the front. Jenny is frozen as she's about to sit down, which means I have to somehow move her out of the way. It's actually pretty easy. All I have to do is lead her to the back of the Mako, and she somehow starts walking on her own. Like Death said, I'm just not gonna worry about it.

Apparently Ian has decided that he wants to sit in Kaidan's seat, so he moves him in the same way I moved Jenny. When we're both seated, I look over at him.

"Ready for some fun?"

"You know it," he says.

I smile and look back at the Mako's controls. It has pretty much a basic steering wheel, but there are three pedals. Why are there three pedals if there isn't a gear shifter? Hesitantly, I press the third pedal.

The Mako suddenly jumps up into the air, throwing me into the bottom of my seat. I quickly release the pedal, and the Mako comes back down with a thud. I slowly look over at Ian.

"That was pretty cool…"

"Just don't do whatever you just did again," he says. I laugh.

"Can do, big guy. Now here we go."

I stomp on the accelerator, sending us shooting through the underground archives. I still have no idea how we're moving if there isn't any time passing, but hey, whatever. If this helps us stop Saren, who am I to complain?

To be honest, this is actually a really tame ride. Because of the Mako's size, it seems to max out at around 75 mph. Doesn't really compare to my Mustang, but then again, this thing has a freaking cannon. It doesn't need to move fast. In addition to the relatively slow speed, we're not even being shot at. All the geth are frozen along with everything else. So I'm literally just following the path. Not very exciting.

Finally, we reach the final straightaway. From the top of this hill, I can see the Conduit in the distance…and it's somehow still spinning, even in Death Time. I'm just gonna take this as another thing I shouldn't worry about.

Anywho, we start flying down the hill, and gravity is helping us gain even more speed. I look down at the speedometer and see that we're going around 85 mph. I look over at Ian and see him eyeing the speedometer as well.

"You wanna make the 88 mph reference?" I ask. He shakes his head a bit.

"Nah, not really."

"Good, because I don't think we'd hit it anyway."

The next thing I know, the grey world around me suddenly shifts blue as we enter the Conduit.

Watch out, Saren. Here we come.

**A/N: Well, there's Ilos done. Along with some...extra surprises. Bet you guys and gals weren't expecting that now, were ya? So yeah, up next is the first part of the Battle of the Citadel. In addition to an...extra surprise *Evil laugh* But seriously, I think you'll love what I have in store.**

**Anywho, I suppose that's it for this chapter. Till next time, folks, ta ta!**


	35. Mind Games

**A/N: Hello there! I'm baaack! And I have for you wonderful readers the first part of the Battle of the Citadel. I promised you guys and gals a surprise last chapter, so I'm gonna let you folks get to it. Enjoy!**

**Mind Games**

In the span of about a second, we're half way across the galaxy. The seemingly endless blue tunnel gives way to…well, not a very pleasant sight: a wall. The Mako hurtles out of the Conduit at the same speed we entered it, meaning that we start flying towards the wall at 85 mph. The results are…less than pleasant.

For some reason, we came out about twenty feet off the ground, making the resulting crash even more dramatic and painful. The Mako impacts the ground, and not even the vehicle's impressive shocks can absorb the jarring impact. My ass feels like it gets thrust up into my torso, and we haven't even rolled or hit the wall yet.

True to prediction, I can feel the Mako start turning to the side, and eventually our forward momentum sends us into a roll. It's an odd sensation, feeling gravity suddenly flip around on me. Thankfully, I strapped in when we started, so I don't go flying out of my seat, but I think I'm gonna have some bruises none the less. The Mako does about two and a half flips, ending up sliding to a stop on its roof. And by slide to a stop, I mean hit the wall. Again, my straps are the only thing keeping me from flying around the interior. I'm also glad that Ian and I remembered to strap the others in, too. That might have ended badly if we hadn't.

Once we're at a full stop, I can finally take a moment to just sit there and feel pain. Granted, I'm sitting upside down, but right now, I just want the adrenaline to wear off and my heart to slow down. I also start to feel the bruises. Yeah, I can tell I'm gonna feel _awesome_ when this mission is over. I think I might sleep for a week…

It's just now that realize that color has returned to the world, and sounds from the others are reaching my ears. Granted, most of those sounds are groans and grunts, but still, that must mean that we're out of Death Time.

Shit, how are the others gonna react to us suddenly being on the Citadel? The last thing they knew, we were just about to start our drive to the Conduit. This might end up being an awkward conversation. "Death came along and froze time" doesn't seem like an excuse that'll fly well.

After a few more moments of sitting upside down, I unbuckle myself from my seat, falling to the ceiling of the Mako. That just seems so weird to think like that…I'm standing on the ceiling. I look over to Ian, who's also decided to get out of his seat, then into the back of the Mako. Jenny and Kaidan are still sitting upside down, strapped in their seats. Garrus is slowly trying to make his way out of the gun turret.

"Is everyone alright?" I ask, deciding that we really should start moving.

"I'm fine, if a little bruised up," Ian says.

"I'll be alright," Garrus says. "That was some fight to get here, wasn't it? And that final stretch? I've never seen so many colossi."

Hold up, what? How is Garrus remembering something that didn't happen? I glance over at Ian, head cocked just a bit, and he's giving me the same look. I just give a small nod, trying to tell him that we should just roll with it. He nods back, so I'm hoping he got it.

"I'm kind of glad I let you drive that stretch, Dylan," Jenny says, unbuckling herself. "Maybe I should have let you drive more often."

"Yeah, well, I always did love driving," I say, feeling the need to say _something_. This is so odd…it's like they're remembering what _should_ have happened instead of what actually happened.

"And thanks for letting me take a break, Ian," Kaidan says, finally getting out of his seat. "I was starting to feel a migraine coming on, but I'm fine now."

"Sure, anytime, Kaidan," Ian says in the same tone that I used: That tone where you don't really know what happened, but you're just gonna play along with it anyway. I'm just glad the others haven't caught that. Still, this is weird. They should be freaking out about the fact that they're suddenly on the Citadel. The last thing they should remember is getting into the Mako after talking to Vigil. But here they are, remembering stuff that never happened.

…

Death said to let him take care of the details…

Can he actually do that? Can he put memories into people's heads? I mean…shit, I don't think there's any way to rationalize that. Though I haven't even tried to rationalize the fact that I've talked to Death, what, three times now? Four? That probably shouldn't happen on a regular basis.

Who's to say that he can't play with people's memories? For now, I'm gonna go with that explanation. But next time I see him, I'm gonna want a serious talk.

"Alright, folks, let's get moving," Jenny says, breaking me from my reverie. "Saren is on his way to the Citadel's main controls, and we need to stop him. So let's kick some ass." We all yell some kind of affirmative and get out of the Mako. That's harder than it sounds, seeing as the main exit is now facing up towards the sky, meaning we have to get it open, jump up, and finally haul ourselves out.

Outside in the Presidium, signs of fighting are everywhere. The artificial day cycle has been turned off, plunging the Presidium into a premature night. The only illumination comes from various fires that are spreading throughout the ring like, well…wildfires. I was really hoping for a better metaphor, but it's been a long day.

All of us draw our weapons and take our usual formation. Since it's a pretty safe bet that the control panel is in the council chambers (even if I didn't already know that), we head towards the elevator up. There also happens to be three Dragon's Teeth around the entrance, and they all retract when we get close. Three husks climb off of the spikes, but…well, they're husks. There are five of us and three of them. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out who won.

We crowd into the elevator, and Jenny hits the button, sending us shooting towards the top. The ride is silent, and honestly, I'm fine with that. I don't think I'm in the mood for talking.

Suddenly, the elevator slams to a halt, and we lose our footing, falling to the floor.

"Damn it, I think Saren got access to the elevator's controls," Jenny says, swearing for the first time in a while. That's usually how I know she's in a bad mood. "Good thing we're suited up. Looks like we're going outside. Oh, and don't forget your mag-boots."

After we have the mag-boots turned on, she shoots the window that looks out into the void of space. The glass shoots out, and the air in the elevator follows it as the pressurized cabin meets the vacuum of space. I feel a slight tug as the air escapes, making me glad I'm magnetically attached to the floor. Once the opening is clear, Jenny walks to the edge and looks over. A second later, she does a little hop and ends up standing on the side of the tower. She made it look so easy.

Kaidan follows her, getting outside in the same easy manner. Garrus is next, and he keeps the steak going. Now it's just Ian and me in the elevator. We both stare at each other for a few seconds before I sigh and walk forward. I'm glad that I've never really been afraid of heights…though if I don't attach to the tower, falling will be the least of my worries.

Ok, just don't think about it. And remember, as long as I'm alive, style doesn't matter. I look over the edge and slowly lift one foot. I manage to place it on the outside wall while keeping my other foot inside the elevator. It's not very comfortable, but it makes sure that I don't go flying off. With my one foot firmly secured to the outside of the tower, I lift my foot from the elevator. I manage to orient myself with the outside and place my other foot down.

I made it out.

I'm in space.

Holy crap!

My amazement is tempered by Ian joining us outside and our need to get moving.

"Remember to keep at least one foot in contact with the floor at all times," Jenny says as we start moving. "I know it's slower, but the other option is way worse." No one else says anything. We don't need to.

The next half hour is, in all honesty, very routine. The only thing different about the following firefights is the fact that they take place in zero-g. And even then, the mag-boots make it seem normal. In basically every instance, Kaidan and I would advance while Jenny, Ian, and Garrus would hang back and snipe. And I've gotta say, Kaidan's biotics came in handy a lot. Often times, all he had to do was lift an enemy and let it float away.

Now, though, we've come to a somewhat open area with three large turrets around the outer edge. Uh oh…I remember this fight being less than pleasant. Right as I think that, the dreaded geth dropship comes flying into view. It hovers over the far end of the clearing and starts dropping troops. We stand there is shock for a second, unbelieving that a dropship just appeared out of nowhere. Suddenly, Jenny looks at the turret right in front of her and runs towards it. As she starts tapping at a control panel, she speaks into the radio.

"Kaidan, get the next one," she orders. "Garrus, get the one on the end. Dylan and Ian, cover us. Let's blow this thing out of the sky!" And with that, Garrus and Kaidan set off towards their assigned turrets. Ian and I look at each other and nod, moving into cover.

Ian hangs back a little bit, naturally, while I move closer to where the geth are being dropped off. This whole area is actually pretty open, meaning I don't have a lot of cover to choose from. And even worse, most of the cover is around the edge of the area, meaning I won't be as close as I'd like. I'll probably be pushing the limits of what I'm used to with my iron sights.

I finally find a decent position and take cover. Leaning around the corner, I see four troopers spreading out from underneath the ship. One of them takes a sniper shot to the head before I can even take aim, leaving me three to choose from. I single out the one on the far left and start sending rounds downrange. At this distance, my accuracy isn't as great as what I want it to be, but I'm still getting good shots in. After about ten shots, the trooper is dead, and I shift my sights to the one that used to be in the middle. Now, it's the only one left.

I start shooting and manage to get its shields down in five shots when its head suddenly explodes. God damn it, Ian! He's always such a fucking kill stealer!

There's a small lull while the others work on hacking the guns. The geth haven't dropped anymore troopers yet, so I can take a breath. It's just now, though, that I start hearing some static. At least, I think it's static. It's almost like white noise is being sent through the radio. Before I can dwell on it any further, more geth drop out of the ship.

Again, four geth drop to the ground, and again, one is missing its head before five seconds pass. So in the interest of variety, I target the one on the right this time. Basically the same process as last time repeats. In the span of a minute or so, the four geth are gone.

Again, I start hearing the white noise again. It's almost like…I'm not really sure what it's like. I've never experienced something like this before. My musings are interrupted by the sound of three AA firing simultaneously.

"Finally," I say into the radio. "What took you guys so long?"

"Have you ever tried to hack a turret and finish at the same time as two others?" Jenny asks, jokingly.

"I can't say I have," I reply with a smile. "And I'm ok with that."

"You're just lucky I'm here, Owens."

"I've know that for quite a while. Now let's kill us some geth!"

And of course, as soon as I say this, a destroyer drops from the now-smoking ship. Why is it always a destroyer? Granted, it's not a prime, but destroyers are still bad. I don't think my ribs can take another toss. Luckily, we have three snipers, a biotic, and a soldier all focusing on that one geth. It doesn't last long.

Around the same time we kill the destroyer, the geth ship starts to fly away. The AA guns finally did their job. With that whole incident finally done, we meet up at the far end of the clearing. Now that the firefight is over, that damn sound comes back. This is starting to piss me off. I try my best to ignore it as we continue up the tower. If I remember right, we're getting close to the end.

After another short firefight, we come to a very long, rather open area. The whole stretch looks to be about 200 meters, and the side we entered is slightly above the far end. Before we continue, Jenny calls us to a stop. I think we're having the same idea.

"What do you guys think about a little sniper support?" Jenny asks.

"Dibs," Ian says. "In a straight up firefight, I'm probably the least helpful, but I'll be able to do some damage from back here." Jenny appears to think about that for a few seconds.

"Alright, that's reasonable. So you stay back here and keep the pressure on while we move up."

"Sounds good," he says. "Though can I have someone stay back with me? Just in case the geth try something."

"I'll stay with him," I say suddenly. I think I have something I need to talk to him about. That white noise is getting almost unbearable. But…it's starting to change. I'm not sure how, but it sounds different now.

"I could stay back, too," Garrus says, looking over at me. Why do I feel like he doesn't want me alone with Ian? "Then you'll have two snipers."

"But if you're both sniping, you still don't have anyone watching your backs," I point out.

"Garrus, if Ian's staying back, we'll need you up front," Jenny says. "Dylan, I'd rather you come with us, but I see your argument. Ian needs someone watching his back—meaning either you or Kaidan—and I need Kaidan with me. So keep him safe."

"Aye aye, ma'am," I say, giving a salute.

"Alright then. Good luck you two. Kaidan, Garrus, come on. We've got geth to kill." And with that, they walk off. Ian also walks off to find a sniping perch, so I follow him. After a minute, in which the noise continues, he finds a spot and sets up. I just crouch down next to him.

Soon enough, he starts shooting at targets I can't even see. We aren't speaking, but after a few minutes of hearing nothing but that fucking noise, I page him on our channel.

"Dude, I think I'm picking up some non-canon stuff," I say. "Are you hearing shit?"

"If by 'shit' you're referring to creepy whispering, then yeah, same here," he says, taking another shot. "I don't know how I've been hitting targets."

"Ok, good. I'm not going crazy." I pause, listening to the sound and trying to identify it. "What the hell is this?"

"It's fucking annoying, that's what it is," Ian says, sounding more than a little peeved. "As if sniping wasn't hard enough with decent concentration."

"It's like an earworm, but I can't even understand it. It's just kind of...there."

"Maybe it's static?" He takes his eye away from the scope and opens his omni-tool. He messes with it for a few moments before turning it off and looking at me. "My comm. channel has all the normal settings, though."

"And I haven't touched mine since leaving the Normandy," I say. "I'm just glad we're not in a firefight right now."

"Don't jinx it, I swear."

"It's not like we're not ready for a fight."

_You don't have to fight._

I immediately freeze and look at Ian. "Uhh…"

"Remember when you said we weren't going crazy?" he asks. "If you just heard that, we might want to reconsider."

"Yeah...I heard that," I say. "And now I'm freaked out."

_Do not be afraid._

"I think it can hear you, mate," Ian says.

_And you as well._

There's a long pause. "Well. Shit. Now I'm freaked out too."

"So it's telling us not to be afraid, but it's in our heads," I say, thinking out loud. "Those two things don't seem to mix."

_I am merely trying to keep you two safe._

Ian makes a pretense of looking around the burning tower. "Good job," he deadpans.

_This is of your own doing. But if you heed my words, the danger you have placed yourself in will disappear._

Hold on, something seems…familiar about this voice inside my mind…Maybe Ian'll know.

"Hey Ian...does this voice sound familiar to you?"

He pauses for a second, cocking his head to the side. "Yeah. It's like...Saren. Saren has psychic powers now?" He's right! It does sound like Saren. As soon as he said that, it clicked. So what the fuck is going on?

_This is just one of the benefits I have gained. Join me, and you shall receive benefits of your own._

Hold on…benefits? That's…that's…

…

Could it hurt to ask?

"Such as?" I ask, trying to put some skepticism in my voice.

_Your precious Ashley Williams._

…

Wha…what? No…no, that's…he can't do that.

Can he?

"No, that's...that's impossible," I say. But…

"Uh...why would we join you, anyway?" Ian asks, pulling my thoughts back to the conversation. "You're with the Reapers."

_I am with the side that will eventually win. You can be counted among the victorious...if you so choose._ God, he says it with such…conviction. What if…No, stop that.

"Nice to hear you're confident, but you won't win," Ian says, defiantly. "We won't let you."

_But why would you want to stop us?_

"Because you're trying to kill us," I say. "And all other organic life."

_Do you really believe that? I am purifying this galaxy, bringing it to its apex._

"Is that what the Reapers told the Protheans?" Ian asks, shaking his head. "I don't believe you. Prove it."

_Organic life is flawed. Without us, your natural greed would have destroyed the galaxy millennia ago._ His reply is instant, and…he…he seems to have a point…I mean, I've known for a while that most people suck, and it's been proven to me time and time again. When it comes right down to it, people are in it for themselves.

"I guess...that's kind of a good point," Ian says, slowly.

"And I think we've both seen just how bad organic life can be..." I say, voicing my thoughts from a moment ago.

_If you assist me, the galaxy will benefit. And your rewards will be numerous._ He just…maybe…he sounds so sure of himself.

There's a long pause. I don't really know what to say, and I don't think Ian does, either. Finally, he speaks up, but says his words slowly and deliberately. "What kind of rewards?"

_I sense a desire in you...You keep it hidden, but it's there. If you join me, we can be together. Your friend already knows his reward._ Ash…

But wait, what's this about Ian? He…no, don't think about that right now. I look over at Ian to see him looking down at the ground. "But...how could we have been lied to all this time?" he asks, sounding confused. Honestly, I'm feeling the same way.

_Commander Shepard is an excellent manipulator. The fact that you are resisting her efforts shows your incredible will._ Wait…Jenny's been lying to me? No. She…she wouldn't lie to me.

…

Would she?

"But...Jenny wouldn't lie to me..."

_Then you are a fool. Break free and join me._ He says break free…

Break free of what?

"Maybe he's right," Ian says. "The Reapers do leave some organics alive for the next cycle; they're just stopping us from destroying everything including ourselves. We should at least find out more." He stops, and his next words are addressed directly at Saren. "And when you say we can be together...?"

"And how on Earth can you promise me Ash? She..." Oh god, not now. You need to get over this, Dylan. You need to say it. You need to admit it to yourself. "She died."

_The power of the Reapers is infinite. Any desire you have will be fulfilled._ I…I don't think it works that way. The things he's promising are near god-like. And the Reapers are just machines.

"We need to discuss this," Ian says, sounding odd. "Face to face."

_Then take the first step in joining us. Kill your companions._

"Kill them?" I ask. "I...I can't...I can't kill them. I can't kill Jenny."

"They're my friends...Garrus...he's my lover. I can explain it to him."

Oh god…why is my head starting to throb? Ugh, there's like a burning at the base of my skull, and it doesn't want to go away. Something…this isn't right.

"Ian...we gotta...we gotta stop listening to him. This ain't right."

_Do not listen to him. Kill your companions, and we can be together._

"If we don't do this, we're all dead anyway, Dylan," Ian says, sounding hollow. Mindless. "We're saving them, really."

I keep trying to think straight, but the pain is spreading. It feels like my head is being squeezed by the hand of a god right now, but…but I have to fight this. This isn't right.

"No. No. Fight this, Ian. This is Garrus we're talking about. You've gotta snap out of this." Please snap out of it. I don't want this to end badly.

_Do not resist. We are your only hope._

Ian just stands there. I can see his hand hovering over his pistol. I never even noticed him reaching for it. He seems frozen, and I can only hope that he's fighting this with all he can.

"Garrus... I can't hurt him," he finally says. "Please. Let me explain to them." No, he's not getting it! Can't he see what's going on? Saren's trying to indoctrinate him! Trying to indoctrinate _us_! But I think I'm fighting it. The pain in my head is probably Saren trying to keep his hold. Gah, this needs to end now! I take two quick strides to stand before Ian.

"Ian, snap out of it!" I yell, slapping upside the head at the same time. "Listen to what you're saying!"

"Don't touch me!" he yells, recoiling away and pulling his pistol. He's pointing it at me.

_Good. Now shoot him._

Ever so slowly, I put my hands up. I really need this to work…

"Ian...Calm down, bud. You know this isn't right. You know this isn't how this is supposed to go. Think about what you're doing; think about what we know of the Reapers. You know, just as well as I do, that the Reapers control their pawns. That's all you would be: a pawn." I pause, giving the words a little time to sink in. "You're not a tool, Ian. You're a person. You're the person that Garrus loves. And you're willing to pull a gun on him. This isn't who you are, Ian. This isn't my friend; this isn't Garrus' lover. For his sake, Ian, snap out of it."

Dead silence follows my plea. The gun in his hand stays steady for about thirty seconds then starts to shake slightly. The shaking increases.

"I don't want to be a pawn..." he whispers. Yes! Now I need to drive it home.

"Then break free! I know you can do it!"

_Do not listen to him. We are your only hope._

"Dylan's my friend," he says, starting to lower the gun. "You're not my only hope if you want me to kill the people I love."

_Remember your rewards. We can be together for eternity._

Oh no you don't, you bastard. "Fuck him, Ian. You have Garrus. Break free for him. He still loves you. He's always loved you." Now the gun comes down all the way.

"I can't. I can't help you, Saren." Yes!

_Do not resist me, Ian. I will replace that useless turian, and the rest of your days will be filled with bliss._

"Garrus isn't useless!" he says, the defiance returning to his voice. "And at least he's not trying to control me."

"So you can just fuck off," I say, adding support to Ian's denial. "We'll meet soon enough, and you're sure as hell not coming out alive."

_Confidence born of ignorance. You cannot hope to defy us. Your origins change nothing: the cycle will continue._ At last, he shows his true colors. The voice has shifted to Sovereign's robotic, malevolent monotone.

"Our origins obviously have you worried, Sovereign," Ian says, coming to the same conclusion I did. "Why else would you mention them?"

_You think you are the first to attempt defiance? Countless races have failed before you, and countless races will fail long after you are gone._ Way to dodge the question, you robotic bastard.

"But I bet none of those races had us," I say, deciding that bravado is the way to go. "You're afraid, Sovereign, and you're afraid _because_ you're afraid. Well we'll teach you fear."

_You cannot hope to defeat me. Any attempts will only hasten your own demise. When you fail, remember that you have none to blame but yourselves. This exchange is over._ And in an instant, the voice and the whispering that preceded it are gone.

When the Sovereign leaves, Ian slumps down against his old cover and holds his head. "Fuck, what did I do...?" he asks, sounding dead tired. I go and slump down next to him.

"You didn't do anything," I tell him. "And thank fuck for that."

"Dylan… I'm so sorry. I should've been stronger."

"Don't worry about it, big guy. Nothing happened. We're both fine. And I'm pretty sure he mostly targeted you. I don't blame you for starting to break. I'm just glad you came back."

"Thanks," he says, sighing. "We both know he only started targeting me cos he realized I'm more susceptible. But thanks for not blaming me."

"Nothing to blame you for," I say. Then I think of something and smile behind my mask. This should be funny. "And don't worry...your secret about Saren is safe with me."

He groans and makes a motion of rubbing his temples, even though he's got a helmet on. "Good. I really don't need that getting out." He clears his throat. "And it was stupid. He dug something up that I buried when I got here."

"Ooh, so this isn't anything new?" I ask, teasingly. "I think I know why you wanted to talk about Saren when we first found out about each other."

"No, that was just because there's multiple ways to interpret his character," he says, and I can somehow hear his rolled eyes. "They don't all have to be bad." My smile just gets bigger. This is too fun.

"Whatever you've gotta tell yourself, bud. I won't judge." He turns his head to stare right at me.

"Look, he was nice looking when it was a game, but now he's actually murdering people for real, it's through." He pauses and seems to think of something. "Besides, if we get him now, the Reapers won't have anything to bait me. I'll be untouchable." I chuckle.

"I know that, big guy. I'm just giving you a hard time. That's what friends are for."

"Well, I'm sure I'll get you back when I'm not completely on the back foot," he says, getting up off the ground. "We ready to go?" I get up, too.

"I'd say so. The others are probably waiting for us."

"Then let's not keep them waiting."

**A/N: And boom! I told you that I had something planned for this chapter. So yeah, there's the first of two chapters for the Citadel. Next up, well have the final confrontation: Saren. And after that, a final epilogue chapter to finish off _Welcome to the Family. _I can't believe it's almost done.**

**Anywho, I suppose that's it for this chapter. Till next time, ta ta! **


	36. The Final Fight

**A/N: And here we are. The final chapter to the Battle of the Citadel. This is also the second to last chapter in _Welcome to the Family_. You guys and gals can thank Easter for this chapter being so early. Though I probably could have gotten this out quicker, but I got a little sidetracked. I recently started a little...side project. I'll make an announcement about it at the end of the next chapter, but I think all of you are gonna like it. Don't worry, though. I'm still gonna finish WttF first.**

**Anywho, long A/N is long. I'll let you fine folks get to reading. Enjoy!**

**The Final Fight**

"There you two are," Jenny says as Ian and I meet up with the rest of the squad at the end of the battlefield. "We noticed that our sniper support stopped and thought something happened."

"We're fine," I say. "But it's nice to see you care."

"What happened?" Garrus asks, looking at Ian. "You had me worried."

"Some geth tried to deal with us," Ian says, telling everyone the story that we came up with. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to tell them that we were almost indoctrinated. I know that we're gonna be telling Garrus at some point, but Ian understands that the middle of a battlefield isn't the place for that.

"Yeah, they were a little more than I could handle on my own, so Ian had to stop sniping to help me," I say, adding details.

"Well I'm glad you're alright," Garrus says, still looking at Ian. Then he looks over at me and nods. Huh…maybe that's him saying "thank you for protecting him". Not wanting to be a dick, I nod back.

"Well now that we're all here, let's get going," Jenny says, pulling us all back to the mission at hand. "I'm pretty sure we're close to the top, and I think it's time to end this."

"Then let's get going."

We head down a ramp on our left, taking us into that area next to the elevator shaft. True to Jenny's prediction (and the game), there's a small hatch that seems to lead back into the tower. Jenny opens the hatch to find what I'm guessing is a small airlock. The thing could probably fit two people if they were really comfortable with each other. Otherwise, it looks like we're doing this one at a time.

"I'll go first," Jenny says, seeming to read my mind. "Then Kaidan, Dylan, Ian, and Garrus." We give affirmatives, and she steps into the airlock. The hatch closes, and the interface turns red. About thirty seconds later, it turns green again, telling us that Jenny is on the other side. Then it's Kaidan's turn. Thirty seconds later, I step into the small airlock.

It's probably a good thing that I'm not claustrophobic, or else I'd be freaking out in here. I really don't know how Garrus is gonna fit in here. He's a good five or six inches taller than me, and my head is almost hitting the ceiling. It's probably a good thing that we didn't bring Wrex.

Anywho, the door opens to the other side, and I'm greeted by Jenny and Kaidan guarding the end of a long, narrow hallway. It's barely wide enough for those two to stand next to each other, meaning I go to stand behind Jenny. About a minute later, everyone is through the airlock, and we advance down the hall. The door at the end opens to reveal the lowest terrace of the Council Chambers.

It doesn't look like there are any geth on this level, but the five of us spread out and stay alert anyway. This place was built to be easy to defend, meaning we're at a distinct disadvantage. As much as time is of the essence, we all know that leaving enemies behind us is a death sentence, so we make absolutely sure that the first level is clear before moving on to the stairs.

Of course, there are geth on the next terrace defending the stairs. There are two at the top of the steps, but they're taken out fairly quickly by sniper shots from Jenny and Garrus. Once we get on the second level and the area opens up, however, we run into a little trouble.

Right in the middle of the circular room, there's that little green section with the trees and decorative rocks. Those rocks are the only cover on this half of the room. All the geth on this level are on the opposite side, and they've set up small barricades. Meaning that they have cover and we pretty much don't. Wonderful.

Our three snipers rush forward towards the cover offered by the rocks. It looks like there won't be any room there for me, I start to circle around to the right, and Kaidan takes the left. You know, it's almost scary how we're able to position ourselves without having to talk about it. The snipers knew that they got first choice of cover, and Kaidan and I knew that we should probably flank around the geth. It's amazing how far I've come since arriving on Eden Prime all those weeks ago.

Anywho, back to the battle. From what I can see, there are six—

_Bang!_

Make that five geth guarding the final staircase. There are three regular troopers, one shock trooper, and one rocket trooper. The rocket trooper is the farthest one on the right, putting it almost directly in front of me. It also happens to be looking right at me. And aiming at me.

Fuck.

I see the rocket leave the launcher, but that's it. As soon as I see that happen, I dive as far to the side as possible, trying to escape the rocket. Luckily, it doesn't seem to be a homing rocket because I hear an explosion behind me as I hit the ground. I grimace as a jolt of pain shoots through my torso. God damn fucking prime. And god damn fucking rocket trooper. The pain was actually starting to go away, but nooo…bastard.

I manage to get to my feet in time to see the rocket trooper get lifted off the ground. Thank you, Kaidan. Taking aim, I start sending shots towards the helpless geth. Soon enough, it's nothing more than a floating pile of scrap. Now that the flank is open, I advance, getting into a position to fire down the length of the geth line. It looks like there are three geth troopers left now: two regular and one shock.

From what I can tell, the shock trooper's shields are still up, and I just realized that I haven't used Overload in quite a while. I should fix that! Keying up the right commands on my omni-tool, I send the burst of electricity to the geth's shield capacitor, frying it to bits. With the damage done, I put three rounds into its chest, sending it to the ground.

As I do this, Ian takes out one of the regular troopers with a shot to the flashlight, and Kaidan lifts the last one, making it an easy target for Jenny and Garrus.

Before the echoes of the last shots die away, Jenny starts running towards the stairs leading up to Saren. As soon as she passes by me, I fall in behind her, taking a place next to Kaidan. We reach the top of the steps just in time to see Saren step off the platform he had extended. The five of us just stand there, aiming at the spot he previously occupied. Suddenly, we hear a low hum, and Saren suddenly floats upward, standing on that weird hovercraft thing of his.

Oh, he also throws a grenade at us. Should probably mention that, too.

Jenny and Kaidan dive to the left, and Garrus, Ian, and I dive to the right. I feel the heat from the explosion even through my armor, and the heat is quickly replaced by pain as I land on the ground. I've _really_ gotta stop doing that! My ribs are lucky enough not to be broken as it is, but that may change if this keeps up. I manage to drag myself up against the low wall that lines the walkway, shielding me from Saren's line of sight. Jenny is directly across from me on the other side of the gap.

"I was afraid you wouldn't make it in time, Shepard," Saren says in that smug voice of his.

"In time for what?" Jenny asks, cutting to the chase.

"The final confrontation. I think we both expected it would end like this." He pauses, and I can picture the look of satisfaction on his face. "You've lost. You know that, don't you? In a few minutes, Sovereign will have full control of all the Citadel's systems. The relay will open. The Reapers will return."

"Please, Saren. You don't think I have more tricks up my sleeve?"

"You survived our encounter on Virmire, but I've changed since then. Improved. Sovereign has…upgraded me."

"You let Sovereign implant you? Are you fucking crazy?" Holy shit…wow, Jenny must be really pissed. I don't think she's ever sworn like that before.

"I suppose I should thank you, Shepard," Saren says, pretty much ignoring what Jenny said. "After Virmire, I couldn't stop thinking about what you said. About Sovereign manipulating me. About indoctrination. The doubts began to eat away at me. Sovereign sensed my hesitation. I was implanted to strengthen my resolve. Now my doubts are gone. I believe in Sovereign completely. I understand that the Reapers need organics. Join us, Shepard, and Sovereign will find a place for you, too."

"Sovereign's controlling you through your implants!" Jenny says, trying to appeal to whatever reason Saren has left. "Don't you see that?"

"The relationship is symbiotic. Organic and machine intertwined: a union of flesh and steel. The strengths of both, the weaknesses of neither. I am a vision of the future, Shepard: the evolution of all organic life. This is our destiny. Join Sovereign and experience a true rebirth!"

"Sovereign hasn't won yet. I can stop it from taking control of the station! Step aside and the invasion will never happen!"

"We can't stop it!" Saren yells, sounding hysterical. "Not forever. Your friend, Mr. Owens, saw the visions." For some reason, him speaking my name sends a shiver down my spine. The memories of the attempted indoctrination are still fresh. Now he looks over to where I'm crouching behind the railing. "You saw what happened to the Protheans," he says, appealing directly to me. "The Reapers are too powerful."

"And I say fuck that!" I yell, feeling the need to say something after he addressed me directly.

"Some part of you must still realize this is wrong," Jenny says, taking over once again. "You can fight this!"

"Maybe…maybe you're right," Saren says quietly, looking down. "Maybe there is still a chance for…" Suddenly he stops and grunts in pain, bringing his hands up to his head. Then he whimpers. "The implants…Sovereign is too strong. I'm sorry. It's too late for me."

Now we've got you. Sensing her advantage, Jenny rolls out of cover to confront Saren face to face. "It's not over yet! You can still redeem yourself!" She pauses, and I can see her staring right through Saren's soul. "You know what you have to do."

For ten seconds, the only sound in the Council Chamber is the sound of Saren breathing.

"Goodbye, Shepard. And thank you." He's gonna do it! I quickly scramble out of cover and stand next to Jenny. I need to see this.

It happens so quickly. By the time I'm standing next to Jenny, the gun is already under his chin. In a single, fluid motion, Saren pulls the trigger.

I don't really know what I was expecting…but that isn't it. The gunshot sounds incredibly loud inside the enclosed Council Chamber. The shower of blue blood that erupts from the back of his head is admittedly impressive, but…I don't know. I mean, here's the man responsible for Ash's death. I should be happy that he's dead. But there's nothing. I'm not really feeling anything. As Saren's lifeless body tumbles off his hovercraft, I just feel relieved that it's over. Well…not really, but we'll face that when we get there. Now, Jenny faces a choice.

As the echoes of Saren's final defiance die away, Kaidan, Ian, and Garrus get to their feet and stand next to Jenny and me. No one says anything for nearly a minute. No one even moves.

"What a waste," Jenny finally whispers, walking forward towards the console. Standing in front of the Citadel's master control, she fiddles with her omni-tool for a few seconds before turning around. "Vigil's data file worked. I've got control of all systems."

"Quick, open the station's arms!" Garrus says. "Maybe the fleet can take Sovereign down."

"Maybe you should open a communications channel first," Kaidan says. "We should figure out what's happening out there."

"Good idea," Jenny says, pressing a few more buttons on her omni-tool.

"…the Destiny Ascension. Main drives offline. Kinetic barriers down 40%. The Council is on board. I repeat, the Council is on board."

"Normandy to the Citadel," Joker says. I sigh in relief. I've never been so happy to hear the crippled bastard's voice. "Normandy to the Citadel. Please tell me that's you, Commander."

"Were you expecting anyone else, Joker?" Jenny asks with a smile in her voice.

"Never, Commander," the pilot replies. "We caught that distress call. I'm sitting here in the Andura sector with the entire Arcturus fleet. We can save the Ascension. Just unlock the relays around the Citadel, and we'll send in the cavalry."

"Human casualties would be pretty high…" Kaidan says, sounding uncomfortable even broaching the idea.

"This is bigger than humanity," Garrus says. "Sovereign is a threat to every organic species. We need to save the Council."

"I'm with Garrus on this," Ian says.

"Me too," I say.

"Do it," Kaidan says.

"What's the order, Commander?" Joker asks. "Come in now to save the Ascension or hold back?"

"I'm opening the relays now, Joker," Jenny says. "We need to save the Ascension, no matter what the cost."

"Alliance ships, move in," Hackett orders. "Save the Destiny Ascension." Damn, I can just picture the epic scene that's now taking place out there. And here we are, sitting through it all. Well, we're gonna have to fight Sovereign/Saren, but still. That's gonna be more annoying than epic. But until then, we're just standing here in front of the control panel. Finally, Jenny turns to us.

"Go make sure he's dead." I nod and walk back the way we came, looking for a place to jump down. Garrus and Ian follow me, and Kaidan stays up there with Jenny. I finally find a decent spot and hop down into the grassy area underneath the Council area. Saren's body is lying in a pool of blood as I approach it. Even though I know this won't do anything, I draw my pistol and place one shot in his forehead.

That was for Ash, you son of a bitch.

"He's dead," I say flatly into the radio. And now shit's about to go down.

Right on cue, a low rumble starts to shake the Council Chambers. I crouch down, putting my arms out in an attempt to keep my footing. What looks like red lightning starts flashing across my field of vision, and it starts to coalesce around Saren's dead body. He starts turning red, and the body starts convulsing. Suddenly, a wave of energy expands outward, throwing me against the far wall.

God fucking damn it! I fall to the ground, clutching my ribs. I could have sworn that I heard something crack, but I can still breathe alright, meaning if something _did_ break, it didn't puncture a lung. God, Chakwas is gonna have a field day with me. As I lie on the ground, trying to will the pain away, I hear the sound of metal bending and glass breaking. That's followed shortly after by some grunts. I guess Jenny and Kaidan have joined us.

I'm still on the ground, trying to get myself up. As I'm doing this, I hear some of the most awful noises I've ever experienced. By the time I get to my feet, the transformation is complete, and Sovereign has full control over what used to be Saren's body. For the sake of convenience, I'm gonna refer to the enemy as Sovereign (or "that thing") for the remainder of the fight.

Sovereign looks all around the circular room before jumping to the wall across from me. I take my Mattock off my back. I dropped my Carnifex when the blast sent me flying, meaning I really shouldn't let my rifle overheat. It's all I've got.

I start shooting at the monstrosity in front of me, but it hops somewhere else before I get three shots off. I go to follow it, but it's already jumped somewhere else by then. Damn, I didn't see where it went. I quickly circle around, trying to find where Sovereign went. I turn around in time to—

Get tackled to the ground by Sovereign.

Fuck! The force of the impact sends me flying back and makes me drop my Mattock. I land hard for the fourth time in ten minutes, only this time, something else lands on top of me. I'm face to face with Sovereign's avatar.

The bastard starts clawing at my chest, and I can hear its claws start to rip through my armor. Shit, this isn't good. It's basically sitting on my legs, keeping them pinned to the floor, meaning I have to try to punch it off. I try bashing it across the head, but my punches have little to no effect on its metal skull. I hear my undersuit rip at the same time as a jolt of searing pain runs through my chest.

Double fuck! Shit shit shit, hitting this thing isn't working. I try to grab its hands as they're coming in for another swipe, but the damn thing is too fast. I can't get a hold of them. Shit, this isn't going well.

Suddenly I hear a yell. That's quickly followed by something smashing into Sovereign's side, sending the metal bastard flying off of me. I hear it hop away. Now I'm lying on the ground, taking deep breaths, waiting for the medi-gel to kick in. As the soothing gel finally starts to cover my newest wounds, I see Ian come to stand over me. He offers a hand to help me up, but I wave him away.

"Go, just kill it," I say between breaths. "I may be out of this fight." He meets my eyes and nods. I continue lying there. I really don't feel like getting up right now. Hell, I don't think I could if I wanted to. I've taken a hell of a beating in the past few hours. Now I can add "numerous gashes" to my list of injuries.

After a full two or three minutes of staying on the ground, listening to the sound of battle all around me, I decide it's time to get up. Slowly, I make my way to my feet. I glance around, looking for my Mattock, only to find it right next to me. Huh. Whatever, though. I reach down and pick it up, ready to get back into the fight. I look around just in time to see Sovereign fly past me. I follow it, and as it jumps again, I manage to get a few shots off at it.

Apparently that did the trick because instead of landing gracefully, Sovereign lands limply on the ground. It remains motionless for a few seconds before disintegrating into a pile of ash. There's a long silence as we realize what we've just done. Soon enough, though, the silence is replaced by an awful ripping noise.

"That doesn't sound good," Kaidan mutters.

"Quick, everyone get back up to the main level," Jenny says. Luckily, there's a ladder leading back up to the platform where visitors stand. It's tough getting back up, but I manage. As I'm climbing up, I hear some chatter over the radio.

"Its shields are down," Joker says. "Now's our chance!"

"Hit it with everything we've got."

Back up top, everyone is standing around, looking out the window into space. We can't really see much of the battle, but what we can see is very impressive. Finally, we hear a final thunderous explosion. I…I think that was it. That was the kill shot.

That theory is proven correct when the view from the window is slowly obscured by a large chunk of Sovereign hurtling towards us. Oh shit. I forgot about this part.

"Go!" Jenny yells, pointing towards the opposite end of the Council chambers. No one bothers to answer. We just run.

I hear a loud crash, followed closely after by a lot of smaller crashes. I feel something hit my back, sending me tumbling to the ground. I feel an intense pain throughout my torso, causing me to black out.

* * *

"Dylan." Go away. I'm trying to sleep. "Dylan!" Something starts to nudge me, and I groan and meekly try to push it away. "Thank fuck, mate, you're alive." I finally realize that Ian's the one trying to wake me up.

"Go away, Ian," I mutter. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Dylan, you've gotta get up," he says. "Anderson's here, and we still need to find Garrus and Shepard." That manages to wake me up more.

"She'll come running out of the rubble, just like in the game."

"We've been searching for half an hour."

…

Fuck. Now I'm completely awake. I feel beat to hell, but I'm awake. "Then go, keep looking. I'll be there in a second." He nods and walks off. Slowly, I manage to crawl out from under the rubble that was sheltering me. Every movement hurts, but I somehow get to my feet and look around. I see Ian lift up some more rubble.

"Garrus!" he yells. Then he reaches in to the hollow and somehow pulls Garrus out. I see him breathing, so he's not dead.

"I'm fine, asperitalla," Garrus says quietly. He lifts up one talon and rests it on Ian's cheek. "I was more worried about you."

"Of course you were, amatrus," Ian says, sitting down and putting Garrus' head in his lap. Then they start talking in low tones, and I don't want to intrude.

I find Anderson, who tells me where they've already searched, and get to work. Now that we've found Garrus, Jenny is the only one left. I'm…I'm starting to get worried. She should have made her triumphant entrance by now.

I find a rather large pile of rubble that looks big enough to have a person under it. I start to lift away the pieces that I can and manage to progress fairly quickly. Finally, I break into a hollow area. Turning my omni-tool's light on, I start looking around the hollow.

…

Shit.


	37. Death, and What Comes After

**Death, and What Come After**

The sound of "Taps" fills the air. It's raining—it's _always_ raining for funerals—but no one seems to care. We're here to honor one of the greatest women I have ever had the privilege to know. Personally, I think this should have been done weeks ago, right after the battle, but something always seemed to come up. Usually politics. The question of the first human councilor was one of the big ones. Anderson was eventually chosen—big surprise there. Then there was the question of where the funeral should be held. The Council argued that since she died in service of all Citadel space, she should be buried on the Citadel. We argued that since she was an Alliance soldier, first and foremost, she should be buried here on Earth, her birthplace.

Eventually, we won that argument, and arrangements were made for her to be buried in Arlington cemetery. Apparently the Alliance still uses this place to bury its fallen heroes. And right now, I can't think of a bigger hero.

The melancholy melody continues as the pallbearers carry her casket to its final resting place. As the marines place her coffin on the ground, the final notes of "Taps" die away. The eight men then pick up the Alliance flag that was draped over her coffin. They hold it in place above the casket while seven men off to the side shoulder a rifle.

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Each shot seems to go straight to my soul, a constant reminder that she's gone. With the three-volley salute done, the pallbearers fold the flag to present it to her family. I'm surprised at the stoicism they're showing, but I guess they always knew this could happen. And they've had a few weeks to…come to terms with the fact that they lost a member of their family.

The leader of the procession—newly appointed Councilor Anderson, of all people—takes the flag from the pallbearers and presents it to her family.

"On behalf of the Prime Minister of the Systems Alliance, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and a grateful planet, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's service to humanity."

Such simple words. They would probably sound insincere in any other setting. But here and now, Anderson is telling her family that humanity will never forget what she did. No one will forget what she did.

With the words spoken, Anderson stands and offers a final salute, both to her and her family.

Finally, the pallbearers exit the scene, leaving the family, the crew of the Normandy, Anderson, and the chaplain. The clergyman goes to stand at a podium set up in front of her grave. He starts talking, but…I'm not really listening. I've never been a religious man, and right now, I don't want to hear someone else prattle on about how the deceased will be missed. She's already missed.

I just…I didn't think the funeral would hit me this hard. I've had damn near three weeks to come to terms with her death, but actually seeing her coffin…actually hearing someone talk about her in the past tense…It's hitting home. I've managed to go three weeks without really thinking about it.

About half of that time was recovering from all the shit I took on the final mission. I was right about the ribs: a few ended up being fractured. For some reason, Chakwas couldn't go in and fix them like she did before, meaning they're still technically healing. She tried explaining it to me—something about her wanting my body to heal on its own—but I didn't really understand any of it. Now that I think about it, it might just be her way of saying "Stop getting hurt so often". So my chest is still a little sore, but I'm out of the danger area. The gashes along my chest from Sovereign were a little more troublesome. Apparently they were deeper than I thought, and there were more than I thought, too. Chakwas stitched them up but said she couldn't do anything about the scarring that would happen. So now I've got six horizontal scars across my upper chest. Now that the pain from them is gone, I can admit that they look kinda badass.

Finally, the chaplain finishes his spiel. With a final word to God, the chaplain goes back to his seat. His job is done.

Now it's time for the speeches. I told them ahead of time that I wouldn't be giving one. I can barely think about her, let alone give a speech about how much I miss her.

The family goes first, and these are the hardest to listen to. This is the side of her that I never saw on the Normandy: the daughter, the sister, the little girl, the young woman. All the parts of her that I could have learned about…given time.

Anderson goes next, giving some speech about sacrifice in the line of duty. As touching as it is, I can't help but feel a little…resentment. Resentment that she's not here.

The crew comes next. Hell, even Wrex is giving one, but I think he's up later. Garrus, surprisingly, is up first, talking about how he's never known a better soldier and how he was honored to serve with her. Really, that's pretty much the format of every speech: some comments on her skills in battle, something about her interaction with the speaker, and a final lament that she's gone. Finally, we get to the last speaker.

"I don't think I've ever had the privilege of serving with a better soldier." Well, that's off to a typical start. Most of the speech follows the same course as the others. I start to fall into my own thoughts again, but the final lines pull me out. "Till the end, she never gave up. She never regretted a thing, she never stopped serving her friends, and she never let us down. Goodbye, Ashley, and may the galaxy never forget your sacrifice; I sure as hell won't."

With her final words spoken, Jenny, arm still in a sling from the rubble landing on her, walks back to her seat. Finally, Ash is laid to rest, her body given back to the Earth.

And that's it. In an instant, the funeral is over, and everyone gets up to leave. I stay seated. I'm soon the only one left here by her grave. I just…I can't bring myself to leave. I can't bring myself to leave _her_. Not without saying goodbye. I…I didn't get to say goodbye before.

I slowly get out of my seat and go to kneel in front of her grave. I don't really know what to say, but…something is better than nothing, right? I decide to just start talking.

"Hey, Ash," I whisper, looking down into the unfilled grave. "I just…I guess I just wanted to talk one last time. Say goodbye, you know? I hope you can hear me, sitting up there next to your dad. I wish I could have met him. You made him sound like one hell of a man. I can only hope he would have approved of me, right?" I give a sad smile and look up to the sky, a few tears escaping my eyes. Tears, idle tears, I know not what they mean. "You take care up there, Ash. Save me a seat, but I hope you don't mind if I stick around here a while longer. Either way, I'll see you again…eventually. Goodbye, mein Schatz."

With some final tears sliding down my cheek, I get to my feet, but I don't leave right away. Even after saying goodbye, I just can't seem to bring myself to walk away. Suddenly, I feel a hand on my shoulder. Turning to see who it is, I catch a quick glimpse of a middle-aged woman before I'm pulled into a hug. For a second, I just stand there, taken by surprise, but I quickly melt into the warm embrace.

"You don't have to be alone right now, darling," the woman says in a voice that sends a pang through my heart. She sounds just like Ash except slightly lower from age. This must be her mother. After a few more seconds, I break the hug and take a step back. Now that I'm looking at her, there's no doubt: This is Ash's mom. The shape of the face is the same, and it also looks like Ash got her mother's eyes.

"Thank you, Mrs. Williams," I say, looking into those eyes, so much like her daughter's.

"Please, dear, call me Maddie. Madeline if you really must." She looks over her shoulder at three young women who I just noticed. "These are my daughters, Abby, Lynn, and Sarah."

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you. I heard quite a few stories from—while I was on the Normandy."

"And we didn't hear nearly enough about you," Mrs. Williams says, giving me a sad smile. "Now come, you're having dinner with us."

"But—"

"No buts. You were there for our Ashley when we couldn't be." For an instant, the stoicism drops, and I see only the grieving mother that stands before me. "She thought you two had something special, and…we'd like to get to know the man she fell for." She…she told her family she was falling for me? I have to fight back the urge to think about all the "what ifs", all the things that could have—_should have_—been. I try to hide my momentary pain with humor.

"Well when you put it that way, how can I say no?"

"You can't," she says with a small smile. "Now let's get going. I'm sure we'll have a lot to talk about."

With that, she takes my arm and leads me to a nearby groundcar. Abby, Lynn, and Sarah join us, and as I walk along, surrounded by Ash's family, I suddenly feel like everything's gonna be ok.

* * *

For the next month, we have leave. The brass' way of thanking us for saving the galaxy, I guess. But hey, I'm not complaining; they're still paying me. Couldn't tell ya how I got paid leave, but I'm not questioning it. I've freaking earned it. We all have. So for four weeks, I spend my time hanging out on the Citadel with Ian, Garrus, Jenny, and Kaidan. Not all at once, though. A day with Ian and Garrus, a day with Jenny, a day with Kaidan. That sort of thing. I occasionally spend a few hours here and there with Tali, Liara, and even Wrex, but those are few and far between. Most of my time is spent with the former group of people.

I do take a day to myself, however. I finally decide to remedy my armor problem. Seeing as the old set has six huge gashes in it from Sovereign, I need a new set anyway. At least my mask wasn't damaged.

So now I'm in "Miller & McCarthy's" yet again. For some reason, I always manage to come when there's no one else in here. Then again, it means I don't have to wait for service. And speaking of service, here comes Joel.

"I didn't expect to see you back so soon, Dylan," Joel says, walking up to me.

"Yeah, well the old set got beat to hell while I was off saving the galaxy," I say in a good humored voice.

"I saw that! I, ah, didn't know you were part of Commander Shepard's crew the last time you were in here."

"I tend to not make a big deal of it," I tell him, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable. I wasn't expecting the fame that would come with being on Jenny's team. I mean, I knew Jenny would get famous, but I didn't think her crew would.

"Oh, I wasn't gonna give you special treatment because of it," he says with a grin. "But now I can say that Commander Shepard's squad shops here."

"And you don't think I deserve a little discount for that?" I ask, returning his grin. He seems to consider it for a second.

"Half off today's purchase. How's that?" Yes! Score! Now I won't put as big a dent in my account.

"That works for me."

"Good. So what can I help you with?"

"Well, like I said, my old armor is trashed," I say, starting to walk deeper into the store. Joel follows along. "So I need a new set. I was also thinking about upgrading to medium armor. I seemed to get hurt too easily in the old set."

"Well you'll be happy to know that we have a large selection of medium armors here. If you'll follow me, we can get started."

To make a long story short, I walk out of there an hour later with a brand new set of Mercenary armor. It was the best compromise of protection and weight that I could find. I also customized it to look like my old set, meaning I'm still wearing the hourglass.

Anywho, I should get back to the Normandy. I told Jenny I'd have dinner with her tonight.

* * *

Damn, that month went by fast. And the month after that. Once we had gotten back from our leave, the Council sent us out again. Well, I say "us", but that's not entirely true. Wrex left for Tuchanka at the end of the month. But besides him, everyone else has stayed. Even though now we're being sent to find and eliminate pockets of geth resistance left over from Saren's little war. Compared to what we were doing, this is boring, yet everyone stayed. Just goes to show how much we all look up to Jenny.

The first month of geth hunting went by fairly quickly. We did about a mission a week; maybe two if it was a busy sector. Most of the missions are cut-and-dry: get in, kill geth, maybe blow up a server or something, and get out. Though we did have a mission that gave Tali a Pilgrimage gift. I don't think it was as huge as the one in the game, but it was still pretty big. I forget what it was…something about new geth units being created. I don't really know. Couldn't follow most of what she was saying.

And now? Well…now we're in the Amada system. We've been in the sector for four days. Ian and I know what's coming, and we need to tell Garrus. Which is why the three of us are in our room, putting our armor on.

"I still don't like this," Garrus says, getting his greaves on. With the spurs, it's apparently somewhat of a hassle.

"And you think we do?" I ask, putting on the torso piece.

"You two have had time to get used to it. You sort of dropped this on me a few weeks ago."

"At least we _did_ tell you ahead of time," Ian says, smiling as he slips his hands into his armored gloves.

"And at least you didn't shout too much," I add, putting my own gloves on.

"I wasn't aware you missed my shouting," Garrus says, mandibles widening just a bit.

"As long as it's not at one of the squad, I think it's hilarious."

"Well I'll try to keep that in mind." The three of us lapse into silence as we finish getting our armor on. Finally the task is done, and I sit down on my bed. Garrus and Ian go and sit next to each other on the bed across from me.

"So are you sure it's today?" Garrus asks after a while.

"We're both pretty sure, amatrus," Ian says, using his pet name for Garrus. I finally asked what it meant a few weeks ago, seeing as I had heard him say it a few times, and I wasn't really surprised by what it meant.

"And you're sure this has to happen?"

"We don't know what'll happen if it _doesn't_," I tell him. "Trust me, Garrus, I wish this didn't have to happen, and if there was an alternate solution, I would take it."

"I know you would, Dylan," Garrus says. "It's just—"

"All hands, brace for evasive maneuvers!" Joker suddenly yells through the intercom.

So it begins…

An instant later, my stomach lurches as Joker starts doing his thing. Even the inertial dampeners can't keep up with the shit he's pulling. Suddenly, an explosion rocks the lower deck. It sounded uncomfortably close. More soon follow that one. The lights cut out, replaced by the eerie red of the emergency lighting.

"You two find an escape pod," I say, getting to my feet and sealing my mask. "I'll head up to deck two."

"What the hell are you going to deck two for?" Ian asks, also standing up and getting his helmet in place. Garrus does the same.

Why _do_ I want to go to deck two? "I…I just want to make sure this happens the way it should." Even behind the helmet, I can tell Ian's giving me a skeptical look, but he just nods. With that, the three of us head out of our room.

Holy shit…it's a good thing we put on our armor because there's a rather large hull breach on this deck. So now we're in the disconcerting situation of zero-g. Once again, it's a good thing we put our armor on.

I split from Ian and Garrus right away. They head further down the deck to look for an escape pod while I head towards the emergency ladder that'll lead me up to deck two. Let me tell you this right now: climbing a ladder without any gravity is harder than it sounds. It's very disorienting.

The ladder actually puts me out right next to Jenny, who's standing in front of the main battery. I also haul myself up right as Kaidan comes running into view, true to the game.

"The distress beacon is activated," Jenny says, getting her own helmet on. She's lucky there isn't a breach on this level.

"Will the Alliance make it in time?" Kaidan asks. Before she can answer, another large explosion rocks the ship. She staggers and almost falls, but I catch her. She nods then notices a fire spreading behind us.

"The Alliance won't abandon us," Jenny says, quickly grabbing a nearby fire extinguisher. "We just need to hold on. Get everyone onto the escape shuttles." She throws the extinguisher to Kaidan, who starts putting out the fire.

"Joker's still in the cockpit. He won't abandon ship," Kaidan says. He pauses his fire fighting and turns to face Jenny. "I'm not leaving, either."

"Same here," I say suddenly.

"I need you two to get the crew onto the evac shuttles," Jenny says, putting every ounce of command in her voice. It doesn't really leave room for disagreement. "I'll take care of Joker."

"Aye aye, Commander," Kaidan says, turning to run off and evac the crew. I hesitate, and yet another explosion happens, almost sending Jenny and I to the floor. We manage to keep our footing, and we end up staring at each other.

"Jenny…"

"Dylan, go." I keep her gaze, unable to move. "Please."

"Aye aye, Jenny," I say after a few seconds. "Stay safe."

As I turn to run away, I see Ian coming up from the ladder.

"What the hell are you doing, Ian?" I ask, helping him up.

"The escape pods only had one spot," he says. "I told Garrus to get on and that I'd find another one. He _really_ didn't want to do that, but I managed to convince him."

"Then let's get moving." We run through deck two to where Kaidan is directing the evacuation. Unfortunately, he hops into the pod he's standing in front of right before we're in sight. We get there to see the door close. I don't see any other crew around, but there's still a pod door open. We don't hesitate and quickly hop into the pod. We wait for about thirty seconds. No one shows up, so we hit the button.

The G-forces are very intense, but not blackout level. In a matter of minutes, the pod starts to shake, so I'm guessing we're entering Alchera's atmosphere. This landing might not be fun…

In less than a minute, a huge impact that probably would have killed us if we weren't strapped in rocks the pod. There's an awful scraping noise as the pod slides along the surface of the frozen planet. Finally it comes to a stop.

For almost five minutes, we just sit there, silently lost in our own thoughts.

Suddenly, reality seems to catch up to me.

The Normandy is gone. Jenny's probably dead.

"I...I can't believe...I can't believe that she's gone," I whisper, unable to keep my thoughts from spilling out. "I...I just..."

"I know," Ian says, nodding. Then he takes off his helmet and looks over at me. "It's not over, Dylan. She'll come back."

I take off my mask before answering. "Yeah, but…" I trail off, staring at the ground. "That doesn't really make me feel any better."

"Same here. But I guess it's something. I know it sounds harsh, but...she had to die to live. You said it yourself earlier. If this hadn't happened, the Collectors might have tried something else, the Lazarus Project could never have happened..." Now, I regret ever trying to rationalize this.

"I just feel like it could have been different. We don't know that the Lazarus Project is the only way."

Suddenly, the pod seems to get colder, and a voice like a lead crypt door closing deep underground resounds through my mind without having consulted my ears. IT IS.

Ian and I both turn to the front of the pod to see Death sitting in the first seat. Great, what's he doing here?

"Death? Hey, what's good, man?" Ian asks, recovering from the surprise quicker.

OH, THE USUAL: THE REAPING OF IMMORTAL SOULS, Death says. IN FACT, I'M HERE FOR ONE JENNIFER SHEPARD. I inhale sharply. Shit…so she really is dead…

"Be a little bit more sensitive, mate..." Ian half-whispers to Death.

OH...TERRIBLY SORRY. SOCIAL NUANCES ARE OFTEN HARD FOR ME TO GRASP. EITHER WAY, I JUST THOUGHT I'D SEE HOW YOU TWO ARE HANDLING THE SITUATION.

"She was a good friend. Really good friend. I know you've got your job and all, but...it's shit."

"You can say that again," I mutter.

I'M SORRY, BUT THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO, Death says.

"Look...I don't know how this works, but can you just not take her soul?" Ian asks, voicing my own thoughts. "I mean, you're Death. I should've died back on the Citadel, and you didn't take me then. Can't you keep anyone alive if you really want to?"

I DIDN'T TAKE YOU BECAUSE IT WASN'T YOUR TIME, He explains as if He's speaking to a child. YOU HAD A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE, SO I WAS OBLIGATED TO MAKE AN APPEARANCE. I MUST FOLLOW THE RULES. IF I DON'T, THE UNIVERSE DESCENDS INTO CHAOS. WHAT ORDER CAN THERE BE IF THE ULTIMATE TRUTH, ME, CEASES TO FUNCTION? Well shit…there's really no argument against that.

"Damn. Still, no harm in asking. I wasn't expecting to see you again. Four times meeting Death without you taking my soul? It's almost embarrassing for you." Ok, I think the small talk is getting a little old. Death doesn't just show up for no reason. There has to be a purpose for this visit.

"Just…what are you doing here, Death?" I ask, surprised at the tiredness I hear in my own voice.

I AM MERELY CHECKING IN ON MY PLANS.

"Hold on, wait…what? Plans?"

DID YOU NEVER WONDER WHY I BROUGHT YOU BOTH HERE OR WHY I ASSISTED YOU ON ILOS?

"The thought has crossed my mind," Ian admits, sounding curious.

"And I'm pretty sure I asked you what you wanted with me when you brought me here," I say.

There's a distinct pause as if Death is thinking about what to say next. Finally he speaks in that hauntingly deep voice of his. You know…now that I think about it, he kind of sounds like Christopher Lee.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY THE REAPERS DO WHAT THEY DO? That's an…odd question.

"Cleansing organic life every 50,000 years...they're always talking some crap about salvation, right? Maybe it's their feeding patterns?" Ian speculates.

THE REAPERS ARE THE TOOLS OF THE AUDITORS, Death says before I can voice my own opinion.

"What the hell are the Auditors?" I ask, managing to pronounce the capital letter it seems to deserve.

THE AUDITORS ARE THE WATCHERS OF SPACE AND TIME. EVERY PARTICLE TO EVER EXIST HAS A FILE, SO TO SPEAK. THEY MAKE SURE THAT GRAVITY WORKS AND THAT ATOMS SPIN. THEY WISH FOR EVERYTHING TO BE ORDERLY. ORGANIC LIFE IS INHERENTLY CHAOTIC. WITH LIFE COMES IDEAS, THOUGHTS, BELIEFS: THINGS THAT CAN BE GIVEN NO FILE. HENCE, THEY WISH LIFE TO END. TO THAT END, THEY CREATED THE REAPERS.

…

What the fuck? That…I don't even…what the _fuck_?

"Wait, so this goes beyond the Reapers?" Ian asks, sounding incredulous. "There's a force even more evil than them?"

TO BE EVIL IMPLIES CREATIVITY, INDIVIDUALIY. THESE ARE TRAITS OF ORGANIC LIFE. THE AUDITORS ARE DRIVEN BY THEIR OBSESSIVE NEED TO BE ORGANIZED. NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS.

"That's...really fucked up," I say, still not quite believing (or understanding) what Death is talking about.

"It takes OCD to a whole new level," Ian says. Oh man…I can't resist that set up. I have to do this.

"Yeah, they're CDO."

"CDO?" he asks, giving me an odd look. I can't help but grin.

"The letters are in alphabetical order, as they should be." That earns a small chuckle from Ian.

"That's pretty funny..."

YES, QUITE, Death says, almost sounding annoyed that we got off topic. HUMOR IS ANOTHER TRAIT THAT THE AUDITORS HAVE NO CONCEPT OF. ORGANIC LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE. HOWEVER, THAT'S NEVER BEEN ENOUGH. SO I BROUGHT YOU TWO HERE. NOT ONLY ARE YOU ORGANIC, YOU HAIL FROM A DIFFERENT UNIVERSE.

"So, we're like wild cards?" Ian asks, trying to understand what Death is saying. I'm glad he is, because I'm not quite following, either. "I don't see how being from another universe helps particularly. I mean, I'm not exactly a professional soldier, and neither's Dylan." He glances over at me. "No offence."

"None taken."

THAT IS AN APT ANALOGY. THE AUDITORS MAY RUN _THIS_ UNIVERSE, BUT YOU TWO ARE NOT FROM IT. TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THEY DO NOT HAVE FILES ON YOU. THEREFORE, YOU LIE OUTSIDE THEIR COMPREHENSION. There's a heavy pause. IN THEORY.

"That's all well and good...but what's your stake in this?" Ian asks, tapping his chin. Man, he's full of questions, isn't he? "You obviously want rid of these Auditors. But we don't know how to kill them, if they can be killed, what they look like...and to be honest, the wisdom of destroying the things that make sure gravity works is a bit questionable."

I DO NOT WISH TO ELIMINATE THE AUDITORS; I SIMPLY WISH TO FOIL THEIR PLANS, Death says. I AM THE DEATH OF HUMANS. IF HUMANS CEASE TO EXIST, I HAVE NO PURPOSE. MY STAKE SHOULD BE CLEAR.

"Right...that makes sense. The Auditors aren't gonna take kindly to these plans getting foiled, though..."

"And how the hell are we supposed to stop them, anyway?" I ask, seeing as Ian seems to have overlooked that important part.

IAN, THEY ALREADY DON'T APPRECIATE MY MEDDLING. HENCE THE RECENT ATTACK ON THE NORMANDY. Hold on, what? Did he just… DYLAN, JUST ACT NATURAL. YOUR UNPREDICTABILITY IS YOUR STRENGTH.

"Wait wait wait, they caused this?" Ian asks, catching that same little tidbit. "I thought that was the Collectors! This was supposed to happen anyway!"

THE COLLECTORS WORK FOR THE REAPERS, WHO WORK FOR THE AUDITORS. AND OF COURSE IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. THE AUDITORS MADE IT SO.

"This is...a lot to take in. Death vs the people who make atoms spin. Wow."

"And to think we thought the Reapers alone were bad," I say.

"Yeah. What's to stop the Auditors just snuffing us out of existence?" Ian asks. Huh…I hadn't thought of that.

THEY HAVE RULES, TOO.

"So it's in the rules that they can create giant starships to wipe out all organic life?" I ask skeptically. There's another one of those pauses.

NOT EXACTLY, Death says slowly. THEY HAVE...FEWER RESERVATIONS WITH BENDING THE RULES. BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT CANNOT BE BROKEN.

"Can we bend any rules back?" Ian asks. "I know you're bound to your stuff, but anything helps..."

I HAVE ALREADY ALLOWED YOU TO USE WHAT YOU SO COLORFULLY CALL "DEATH TIME." WHAT ELSE COULD YOU ASK FOR? BUT NOW, I MUST LEAVE YOU. PLACES TO GO, PEOPLE TO SEE AND ALL THAT.

"Alright. Thanks for telling us all this stuff. And hopefully next time we meet, it'll be in amiable circumstances."

"See ya, Death," I say as the seven foot skeleton fades away. There's a long silence as Ian and I just stare at each other, trying to figure out what the hell happened. "That was fucking weird," I finally say.

"Yeah, it was," Ian says in the same tone of voice. "He's a bit socially awkward, isn't he?"

"Yeah, I noticed. I just can't believe all that stuff he told us. Then again, he's Death...I don't think he can lie."

"He's not got much reason to. I guess our opposition just got a lot worse...considering Death himself is a bit worried about these Auditors."

"Can Death even get worried?" I ask with a small grin.

"I don't know him that well, but he's usually more...I dunno. In charge," Ian says. Then he chuckles. "Then again, seeing as we've met him more than once, we're probably the only humans on speaking terms with the guy."

"Yeah, I guess." I pause, trying to let my mind accept what Death was talking about. It doesn't work. Instead, I go back to a previous topic. "Is it weird that talking to Death has made me feel slightly better about Jenny's death?" And for a wonder, it has. I don't really know how to explain it.

"Not really," Ian says with a shrug. "He's the guy in charge of it all. That's got to be reassuring somehow. He even apologized."

"I guess I know that she'll be in good hands." Then I think of something and can't help but chuckle. "And hey, this'll just give Jenny and me something else to talk about when she comes back."

"She probably tried to punch him out at first," Ian says with a chuckle of his own. "It'll make explaining it to her in two years easier, I guess."

"Yeah." We lapse into silence, lost in our own thoughts yet again. Something that Ian just said seems to have sparked some thought. "Two years. What the hell am I gonna do for two years?"

Ian just shrugs. "You can come with me and Garrus for a bit," he says. "We'll probably end up back at C-Sec, then go to Omega for the Archangel stuff...but you're welcome to stay in the apartment whenever." Wow, he'd really do that for me? I mean, I know we've become good friends in the two-ish months since our secret got out, but I wasn't expecting this. I guess it helps that Garrus and I aren't at each others' throats anymore.

"Really? Thanks. That means a lot. I guess I've never given much thought of what to do for two years."

"I always had Garrus. And...yeah, I'm not leaving him." Suddenly he frowns, seeming to think of something. "You gonna be ok with staying with us? I don't wanna make you feel uncomfortable." For some reason that makes me chuckle.

"Dude, I've been sharing a _room_ with you two for the past month or more. I think an entire apartment should be just fine." I pause and give him a grin. "Though maybe find some way to let me know when I shouldn't enter a room. Sock on the door or something."

"That's a good idea. Now that we'll actually have some free time…" He gets a sort of far-off look. Lost in a little daydream I guess. Then he shakes himself out of it. "Sorry, I'm not trying to put you off."

"Nah, it's all good," I say. Then I sigh. "So when do you think someone's gonna find us out here?"

"Soon, hopefully, but I'm not betting on it," Ian says, sighing too. "I think we'll be sitting out here a wee while longer..."

"Just fucking perfect."

**A/N: And curtain falls. The last chapter of _Welcome to the __Family_ is over. And I've left you with a little insight as to why Ian and Dylan are in the MEverse. Just so y'all know, the Auditors, along with Death, belong to Terry Pratchett. Since you'll be seeing more of them in my future stories, I thought I should say that now.**

**So yeah...it's over. This has been...just a crazy ride. When I first started writing this story, I never would have imagined the kind of success I've had. And that's all thanks to you, my amazing readers and reviewers. Seriously, you guys and gals are just amazing. Especially all of my regular reviewers. It's thanks to you all that I've managed to surpass _Masses to Masses 1_. **

**So here's to (in relative chronological order):**

**douchiesnacks**

**Liege Lord**

**iNf3ctioNZ**

**the stone tiger**

**S058**

**Herr Wozzeck**

**Kassandra Black**

**Rob DS Zeta**

**CuHnadian**

**Sarge1995**

**Nanobot5770**

**Dracconnis**

**The Cursed and Torn**

**I Max95**

**stark40763**

**quantumparadigm**

**All of you have been absolutely amazing readers. If I forgot any of you, I'm sorry. (If you feel like I skipped over you, just shoot me a PM, and I'll add you.) I also need to give extra special thanks to:**

**iNf3ctioNZ**

**Kassandra Black**

**quantumparadigm**

**You three are the best. I love you guys.**

**So WttF1 is now over. I'm...I don't really know how to feel. This has been such a long, wild ride that it's gonna feel weird taking a break from it. And yes, I am taking about a month off of WttF. I'd say I'll be back around mid-May, maybe early June at the latest. But don't think I'll be dropping off the map! Remember how I hinted at a side project? Well, here are some details.**

**I am currently working on a collaborative story with iNf3ctioNZ, Kassandra Black, and quantumparadigm. This story will detail the various adventures of the first multi-species task force to fight the Reapers and Cerberus: Task Force Hydra. (That's also the title of the story.) In a matter of weeks (maybe less), this story will begin posting on iNf3ctioNZ's profile. If you want to find out more, you'll just have to read it.**

**Anywho, this is the last time I'll be giving an A/N for a while. Take care, folks. I guess I'll see you all again when I come back with WttF2.**

**Dylan.**


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